DNS Security Is Often Inadequate, and Network Engineers Should Get More Involved

Why It Matters

Insecure DNS exposes enterprises to service outages, data theft, and credential leakage, directly impacting business continuity and brand trust. Empowering network engineers and DNS specialists to lead security mitigates these risks and aligns protection across hybrid environments.

Key Takeaways

• Only 28% of DDI experts consider DNS fully secure.
• 86% of enterprises observed AI‑enhanced DNS attacks.
• 55% trust general security vendors over DNS specialists.
• 49% of DDI teams lack influence over cloud DNS policies.
• 40% of breaches stem from DDI mismanagement, not security tools.

Pulse Analysis

DNS is the backbone of every digital interaction, translating human‑readable names into IP addresses. When that translation layer is compromised, attackers can hijack traffic, launch denial‑of‑service floods, or exfiltrate data under the guise of legitimate queries. The EMA report underscores a growing sophistication in attacks—86% of firms report AI‑driven tactics that automate target selection and evade traditional signatures. This evolution forces organizations to move beyond basic URL filtering toward behavioral analytics and AI‑powered threat intelligence embedded directly in DNS solutions.

Vendor selection emerges as a critical decision point. Although a majority of IT leaders still lean on broad‑scope security vendors, the data shows that those who partner with DNS‑focused providers report higher confidence in their defenses. The split reflects a deeper issue: many enterprises maintain fragmented DNS policies across on‑prem and cloud environments, with only half of DDI teams influencing cloud DNS configurations. Such silos create gaps that attackers exploit, especially when DNS firewalls, DDoS mitigation, and encryption are inconsistently applied. Aligning DNS security with the same teams that design and operate the infrastructure ensures policies are consistent, auditable, and responsive to emerging threats.

The report’s most actionable insight is the call to elevate network engineering within the security hierarchy. By giving DDI experts ownership of DNS design, monitoring, and integration with IAM and SIEM tools, organizations can reduce the 40% breach rate tied to mismanagement rather than technology failure. Automation of discovery, change control, and policy enforcement further minimizes human error. As hybrid cloud adoption accelerates, a unified, engineer‑driven DNS strategy will become a competitive differentiator, safeguarding uptime, data integrity, and ultimately, the enterprise’s reputation.