Threat protection with DNS filtering - for free

Q: How can DNS filtering help to protect our PCs and laptops? We already have antivirus subscriptions.

A: DNS filtering adds protection beyond virus and malware detection by blocking connections to dangerous websites.

If you have a high-quality antivirus service, you have decent protection. But even the best antivirus technology fails to block all threats, especially new and newly obscured ones.

DNS filtering services track an extremely large number of malicious websites with new ones constantly added to their block lists. If you click on a deceptive, apparently innocent link to a bad website, a DNS filter can block it. A dangerous download can be halted before it gets anywhere near your computer.

Your Internet Service Provider, such as Comcast or Verizon, may do DNS filtering for you; however, a dedicated DNS filtering service can provide more extensive protection.

Free DNS filtering services include: Cloudflare 1.1.1.1, OpenDNS and Quad9.

DNSFilter and SafeDNS are available for $1 or $2 per month.

A downside of DNS filtering services is that they have the opportunity to track your browsing habits and mine what you look for. So you need to rely on the integrity and reputation of the service you choose.

If you use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, it may also offer DNS filtering. If it does not, you need to determine if you can configure your VPN service to work side-by-side with a DNS filtering service.

A DNS filtering service can add another valuable layer of protection at little or no cost.