Information Technology Services

A Domain Name Server (DNS) vulnerability has created a situation that could result in Internet instability and slowness during early August. Additionally, it could result in user attempting to go to one site, but winding up at a different site.

Note: DNS server computers translate the name of Internet-resident computers into numbers (e.g., What is, to you, www.uncg.edu, is to the computers on the Internet 152.13.13.169).

Upon hearing about the DNS vulnerability in mid-July, UNCG ITS-Network operation staff moved rapidly to obtain and install the latest patches to secure UNCG from such an attack.

The UNCG security office advises systems management staff to patch server systems potentially affected by the vulnerability. Additionally, Windows users need to be sure they are up to date on patches as Microsoft released a recent DNS patch for Windows XP, 2000 and Server 2003. Windows Vista does not need to be patched (CNET). At the time of this writing, Apple had not released a patch for the Mac OS X server. Update: Apple has released a DNS patch among other downloads.

Most Internet Service Providers (approximately 50% at the time of this writing) have not patched their services. Since there are active exploits of the software vulnerability already available, UNCG ITS professionals believe that Internet service instability is a distinct possibility during early August, regardless of our internal patched state.

Instability may include hijacked web sites, and unavailable services. This represents a distinct security threat until such point that all ISP's have updated and patched their DNS servers.

For more information, see With Security at Risk, a Push to Patch the Web or What you need to know about the latest DNS flaw.

If you have questions please contact 6-TECH at (336) 256-TECH (8324) or 6-tech@uncg.edu.