The Benefits of DANE and DNSSEC in Office 365 Exchange Online
Introduction
As businesses migrate more and more of their applications and data to the cloud, security is paramount. Securing email communication is a critical part of this effort, and Microsoft Office 365 Exchange Online is the leading cloud-based email solution. Recently, Microsoft announced support for the DNS-based Authentication of Named Entities (DANE) protocol and Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) as part of its Office 365 Exchange Online offering. This blog post will explain what DANE and DNSSEC are and how they can help protect your email communication in Office 365 Exchange Online.
What is DANE and DNSSEC?
DANE is a DNS security protocol that provides a mechanism for authenticating and verifying the integrity of public keys used for secure communication. It works by linking a public key to a domain name via a DNS record. This allows clients and servers to verify the authenticity of a public key before they establish a secure connection.
DNSSEC is an extension to the DNS protocol that provides cryptographic authentication of DNS records. It works by digitally signing DNS records, which allows clients and servers to verify that the records they receive are authentic and have not been tampered with.
How DANE and DNSSEC Work in Office 365 Exchange Online
In Office 365 Exchange Online, DANE and DNSSEC work together to provide a secure communication channel for email communication. When a client attempts to connect to the Office 365 Exchange Online service, it will first look up the domain name in the DNS and retrieve the associated public key. The client will then use the public key to establish a secure connection with the Office 365 Exchange Online service.
At the same time, DNSSEC is used to authenticate the DNS records associated with the domain name. This ensures that the public key retrieved by the client is authentic and has not been tampered with.
Benefits of DANE and DNSSEC in Office 365 Exchange Online
By using DANE and DNSSEC in Office 365 Exchange Online, businesses can ensure that their email communication is secure. This is important for businesses that deal with sensitive customer data, as it ensures that their data is protected from malicious actors.
In addition, DANE and DNSSEC make it easier for businesses to manage their public keys. By linking the public key to a domain name via a DNS record, businesses can manage their public keys in a centralized location. This makes it easier to manage, update, and deploy public keys across multiple services.
Finally, DANE and DNSSEC reduce the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks. By requiring clients to authenticate the public key before establishing a secure connection, malicious actors will not be able to intercept and modify the communication.
Conclusion
DANE and DNSSEC are important tools for protecting your email communication in Office 365 Exchange Online. By using these protocols, businesses can ensure that their data is secure and protected from malicious actors. In addition, they make it easier to manage, update, and deploy public keys across multiple services. If you are looking to secure your communication in Office 365 Exchange Online, then these protocols are an essential part of your security strategy.
References:
Support of DANE and DNSSEC in Office 365 Exchange Online
