#browing

Carl Spitzweg – Donne al bagno a Dieppe D’ogni istante la mente s’innamoracome la farfalla che guardiamodimentichi, seduti sul mattoneconsunto, ancora in ombra, della soglia,svegliandoci dubitosi, le manicalde allacciate alle ginocchia.Quanto dura il silente abbandono,la pace, il  muovere lento del solenel volo sù sù per l’aria celestedi fumo che si sfa? …allora si sarà aperta l’ariaun’altra…

The Domain Name System is essential to all online connections. DNS, as it's referred to, allows domain names such as google.com to be translated into IP addresses, which are used by network devices to route data. But DNS servers don't consider your privacy at all, so this is a problem.

image source: Wikimedia Commons

Regular DNS: How it works

In order to connect to a specific website, your phone first connects to a DNS server after typing in a URL in your browser (e.g. google.com). It works like an internet directory, replacing the friendly name you entered with the website's IP address, which is typically a string of numbers.

Connecting to this server is not encrypted by default. This makes you vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks in which hackers make their device appear to be a Wi-Fi hotspot. Connecting to one of them can reroute your DNS requests to malicious websites, which can infect your phone or trick you into divulging personal information.

Consequently, the industry created tools to ensure that your device and DNS server communicate securely. The two most common methods of encrypting the communication between a phone and a DNS server are DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT). An encrypted file is unreadable without a private key, which hackers should not possess.

Private DNS: How it works

Google added DNS over TLS (DoT) and Private DNS to Android 9 Pie to protect its users without requiring the ISP to do so. By default, Android uses DoT if the DNS server supports it. Using private DNS, you can remotely manage use of DoT while maintaining access to public DNS servers.

DNS servers you use through your wireless carrier offer many advantages over public DNS servers. These servers may not log any information pertaining to your usage. Therefore, you don't have to worry about your online location being tracked or third-party ad companies using your personal information. Several of them provide encryption using the DoT and DoH standards.

Up until Android 9, you could only use a private DNS server if you configured one for each Wi-Fi network or used a VPN. Using the former method, your phone was vulnerable if you used cellular data due to its only application to Wi-Fi. Essentially, you had to pay a subscription fee to a reputable provider. The Private DNS feature, which is usually free, eliminates all these disadvantages, and it applies to all data connections.

Private DNS - How to add one

You will need Android 9 or later to use native private DNS support because it is a newer feature. If so, go to Settings –> Network & Internet –> Advanced or Settings –> Connections –> More Connection Settings and tap "Private DNS."

Now, choose the "Private DNS provider hostname" in the popup window and enter the URL of your private DNS service. The most common one is Cloudflare's free 1.1.1.1 service, so if you choose that option, simply copy and paste the code from below into your settings.

1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com

Because Cloudflare supports DoH and DoT, as well as providing free server access, we recommend them. There is only one drawback: they log some data. A large portion of the logs are deleted after 24 hours, but there are a few points that will be stored indefinitely (check them out here).

If you intend to use Cloudflare DNS, but you do not have the above settings on your Android device, you can still install a VPN app to gain access.

Make sure you stay safe while exploring.

Sources:

https://developers.cloudflare.com/1.1.1.1/setup/android/

https://www.unbxtech.com/2021/07/howto-enable-private-dns-android.html?amp

https://android.gadgethacks.com/news/heres-why-you-should-be-using-private-dns-your-phone-0231554/

https://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/what-is-private-dns-and-how-to-use-it/amp/

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