Security Corner – Protect Your Network With OpenDNS

With recent threats to our digital security like the Conficker worm, it is more important than ever to strengthen your network's defenses. There is a fantastic free service specifically designed to boost network security called OpenDNS; it is free and will protect you from many future attacks if you just take a moment to set it up. The OpenDNS website provides simple instructions for changing your DNS server on a single machine or router (so that the change affects ALL networked computers) and even includes a video tutorial. What does this accomplish? Making the change will cause your computer to go to an OpenDNS server to look up the domain names for the sites you visit instead of the DNS server provided by your ISP; the OpenDNS server has the ability to deny you access to known phishing and hacking sites. There is an Internet content filter that will deny access to any type of questionable site you do not want your child visiting and the ability to report network traffic is built right in.

You may be asking yourself, "How is such a service free of charge?" Whenever you type in a domain name that doesn't exist (www.______.com), instead of a page error, you simply get a screen with some advertisements on it... not a bad trade-off to have a strengthened network if you ask me!

About Brent Whitfield

Brent Whitfield is CEO of DCG Technical Solutions, Inc., which provides IT Support in the Los Angeles area since 1993. DCG exists to help our clients choose, implement, and manage IT and cloud solutions that are cost effective and reliable. DCG's pro-active approach to IT is ideally suited for companies who depend on reliable IT infrastructure, but don't want to spend a lot of money to keep it that way. DCG was recognized among the Top 10 Fastest Growing MSPs in North America by MSP Mentor. Brent has been featured in Fast Company, CNBC, Network Computing, Reuters, and Yahoo Business.