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Domain Intelligence

DNS Lookup

Query DNS records including A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, CNAME, and SOA records for any domain.

What Is a DNS Lookup?

A DNS lookup queries the Domain Name System to resolve a domain name into its associated IP addresses and other records. DNS translates human-readable domain names like example.com into machine-readable IP addresses like 93.184.216.34, and also stores MX records (mail servers), TXT records (SPF, DKIM, verification strings), NS records (authoritative name servers), CNAME records (aliases), and SOA records (zone authority). This tool queries these record types to give you a complete picture of a domain's DNS configuration.

For security professionals, DNS is one of the first areas to investigate during reconnaissance, incident response, and threat analysis. DNS records reveal where a domain points, which servers handle its email, who its authoritative name servers are, and whether DNSSEC is enabled. Changes in DNS records can indicate domain hijacking, phishing infrastructure setup, or misconfiguration that exposes services unintentionally.

Understanding DNS is fundamental to network security. Every web request, email delivery, and API call depends on DNS resolution. A compromised DNS configuration can redirect traffic, intercept email, and enable man-in-the-middle attacks. Regular DNS monitoring and analysis are essential security practices.

Essential DNS Record Types

A and AAAA records map a domain to IPv4 and IPv6 addresses respectively. These are the most fundamental DNS records, determining where web traffic is directed. If an attacker compromises DNS and changes the A record, all traffic to the domain goes to the attacker's server. Monitoring A and AAAA record changes is a basic security practice.

MX records identify the mail servers responsible for receiving email for a domain. They include a priority value that determines the order of server preference. Misconfigured MX records can cause email delivery failures or allow email interception. MX records also reveal which email provider a domain uses (Google, Microsoft, ProtonMail), which is useful intelligence.

TXT records store text information associated with a domain, most commonly SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC policies that protect against email spoofing. They are also used for domain verification by third-party services. Examining TXT records reveals a domain's email security posture and which services have been authorized to act on its behalf.

DNS Security and Threats

DNS spoofing and cache poisoning are attacks that inject false DNS records into resolver caches, redirecting traffic to malicious servers. DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions) prevents these attacks by cryptographically signing DNS records, allowing resolvers to verify that responses have not been tampered with. This tool can show whether a domain supports DNSSEC through its SOA and DNSKEY records.

DNS-based data exfiltration and command-and-control (C2) use DNS queries and responses to smuggle data past network defenses. Attackers encode data in subdomain queries or use DNS tunneling tools to establish covert channels. Monitoring unusual DNS query patterns—high query volumes to single domains, queries with high-entropy subdomains, or queries to uncommon record types—is an important detection technique.

For incident response, DNS records are often the most reliable source of infrastructure intelligence. While web content can be changed instantly, DNS records have TTL (time-to-live) values and are often cached, making them easier to track over time. Historical DNS data reveals infrastructure patterns that help map threat actor infrastructure.

How to query DNS records

  1. 1
    Enter a domain name
    Type the domain name (without protocol or paths) into the DNS lookup field.
  2. 2
    Select record types
    Choose which record types to query: A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, CNAME, or SOA.
  3. 3
    Run the lookup
    Submit the query to retrieve DNS records from authoritative servers.
  4. 4
    Analyze the results
    Review IP addresses, mail servers, TXT policies, name servers, and any DNSSEC indicators.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is DNS?

DNS (Domain Name System) translates domain names into IP addresses and stores other records like mail servers and text data. It is the phone book of the internet, directing traffic to the correct servers.

What record types should I check?

Check A/AAAA for IP addresses, MX for mail servers, TXT for email security policies (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), NS for authoritative name servers, and CNAME for aliases.

How does DNS relate to email security?

MX records identify mail servers, while TXT records contain SPF, DKIM, and DMARC policies that prevent email spoofing. Missing or misconfigured records indicate email security weaknesses.

What is DNSSEC?

DNSSEC cryptographically signs DNS records to prevent spoofing and cache poisoning. It ensures that DNS responses received by resolvers are authentic and have not been tampered with.

Can DNS records reveal infrastructure details?

Yes. DNS records show where a domain points, which email provider it uses, its authoritative name servers, and which third-party services are authorized to act on its behalf.

How is DNS used in threat investigation?

DNS records reveal attacker infrastructure, phishing setup, and C2 domains. Monitoring DNS changes and analyzing historical records helps map threat campaigns and identify compromised domains.

What is DNS tunneling?

DNS tunneling encodes data within DNS queries and responses to create covert communication channels. It can be used for data exfiltration or C2 and is detected by monitoring unusual DNS query patterns.

How do I check if a domain has DMARC?

Query TXT records for the domain and look for a record starting with v=DMARC1. A DMARC policy defines how receivers handle email authentication failures and provides reporting to the domain owner.

What is a CNAME record?

A CNAME (Canonical Name) record aliases one domain to another. For example, www.example.com might be a CNAME to example.com. CNAMEs chain to the target domain's A/AAAA records for resolution.

How does DNS caching work?

DNS resolvers cache records for a duration specified by the TTL (Time to Live) value. Lower TTLs mean faster updates but more DNS queries. Higher TTLs reduce load but delay propagation of record changes.