PaulSpoerry.com

They’ve already released specs for a replacement for HTTP called SPDY. Now it looks as if Google is set for all out Internet takeover by replacing DNS. DNS (Domain Name Service) is used to translate the web friendly named addresses user type in their browser (like www.PaulSpoerry.com) into their machine friendly IP (Internet Protocol) numerical addresses (like 122.222.12.221).

Google Public DNS, announced on Thursday, is still in an experimental phase but will attempt to improve on existing DNS technology with faster, more efficient caching and additional security safeguards against spoofing attacks that try to dupe users into visiting malicious Web sites.

To use Google Public DNS users will have to change network settings so that their Web site requests go to the Google service instead of to their ISP. Google has set up a Web page with detailed instructions on how to do this.

“We believe that a faster DNS infrastructure could significantly improve the browsing experience for all web users. To enhance DNS speed but to also improve security and validity of results, Google Public DNS is trying a few different approaches,” wrote Prem Ramaswami, from Google’s Public DNS Team, in an official blog posting.

This is interesting and I wonder how much better than can do than OpenDNS by rolling out a new DNS infrastructure.

OpenDNS is a wicked service (and FREE) to use anyway. All my personal PC’s use it. OpenDNS can also speed up your surfing by allowing keyboard shortcuts from any system, work as a parental filter, and prevent you from seeing so many of those “no such site, but here’s a whole bunch of ads!” parking pages. It’s free to use and set up; here’s a detailed guide for home networks.

So how does it help with Conficker? The latest variant of Conficker is now blazing through over 50,000 domains per day in an attempt to thwart blocking attempts. But check this out,  at any given time OpenDNS has filters that hold well over 1,000,000 domains!!! Combine that with their phishing and domain tagging filters and basically 50,000 domains a day isn’t going to put a dent in OpenDNS. So basically even if you HAVE Conficker… OpenDNS will more than likely stop the worm from even being able to contact the site that would tell it what to do. OpenDNS prevents the worms from even contacting its botnet overlords to receive instructions on what to do.

Check out the OpenDNS blog for more about April 1st and Conficker, when you’re done reading that head on over and configure your home network to use OpenDNS, not just to protect you from Conficker but for all the added bonuses it brings as well.