Feb 26, 2020 12:30:00

Finally announced that Firefox will enable `` DNS over HTTPS '' which encrypts communication with DNS by default

Mozilla, the creator of the web browser Firefox, has been planning to implement

DNS over HTTPS (DoH), which enhances privacy by encrypting the browser's communication with the Domain Name System (DNS) . On February 25, 2020, Mozilla announced in the coming weeks that DoH will be enabled by default for Firefox users in the United States.

Firefox continues push to bring DNS over HTTPS by default for US users-The Mozilla Blog
https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2020/02/25/firefox-continues-push-to-bring-dns-over-https-by-default-for-us-users/

Firefox turns encrypted DNS on by default to thwart snooping ISPs | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/02/firefox-turns-encrypted-dns-on-by-default-to-thwart-snooping-isps/

DNS is a database for calling computer-recognizable IP addresses such as '192.0.2.1' from human-friendly domain names such as 'www.mozilla.org'. Because the DNS mechanism itself was developed several decades ago, DNS queries that call an IP address from a domain name and responses from the DNS are usually done in clear, unencrypted text.

As a result, information such as `` what websites do users access? '' Is unnoticed by Internet service providers (ISPs), and there is a risk that third-party vendors will be

able to peek at the contents or be subject to man-in- the- middle attacks. It has been pointed out.

With the growing awareness of protecting user privacy, there has been a movement to encrypt communications with DNS. There are two main types of DNS encryption methods, `` DoH '' and `` DNS over TLS '', but DoH uses the widely spread Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) to protect privacy. DoH is superior to DNS over TLS from the viewpoint of the above.

What is the fight for the hegemony of 'DNS encryption'? -GIGAZINE

Mozilla commented on the move to encrypt communications with the DNS: 'Since the Internet was created, this kind of threat to people's privacy and security was known, but not exploited at the time. Now that unencrypted DNS is not only vulnerable to espionage but also known to be exploited, Mozilla is helping to move to a more secure alternative. '' . He argued that DoH could hide browsing history from attackers on the network and prevent data collection by third-party vendors.

In addition, the ISP has expressed concerns about DoH that `` DNS encryption makes Internet filtering and parental control difficult '' `` Google will be a centralized DNS provider '', and DNS communication encryption It is reported that they are lobbying to stop the transition.

A major ISP is interfering with Google's movement to encrypt DNS communication by lobbying-GIGAZINE

Mozilla is ahead of Google in its DoH efforts because it is not a direct target for lobbying, as compared to Google, which has received strong opposition from major ISPs. According to Mozilla, DoH will be enabled by default for U.S. Firefox users in the coming weeks and will be monitored for any issues.

Firefox users outside the United States, where DoH is not enabled by default at the time of article creation, can also enable DoH on their own. Click the menu icon at the top right of the browser screen and click 'Options'.

Open the 'General' menu and click 'Connection Settings' at the bottom of the page.

Click the 'Enable DNS over HTTPS' checkbox at the bottom of the Internet connection settings screen to enable DoH.

Users can also select a

DNS resolver to execute Firefox DNS queries from Cloudflare or NextDNS, a DNS service affiliated with Firefox.

Firefox continues to consider enabling DoH in countries outside the United States, stating that it will continue to work on adding a trusted DNS resolver.