Google Launches Public DNS – Security & Privacy Risk?

Filed under: Industry News

google_logo_smGoogle has launched a Public DNS resolver that allows you to use their servers instead or on top of your ISPs DNS servers but what does this really mean?

DNS servers provide the IP address for every page, image, video and other data that you download when browsing the internet.

The way it works is you enter a domain name such as www.npsites.com and to retrieve information .. the webpage, images and all the external banners and data found on our site you need an IP address that your computer can understand.

Every time you load a page the DNS server can log all of your requests…

So if a website you visit has pictures of cats embeded in their pages or forms .. then google will know you saw those images.

They will also be able to track where you shop, who provides your Email, what advertisements you view and click on. Basically by using their service you are allowing them the ability… I stress ABILITY to track every last bit of data that hits your computer.

If you download torrents, If you visit file sharing sites… If you use a VOIP service … everything you do can be tracked through their DNS Server.

As you remember Yahoo and Google had a big go through with the Chinese Government and believe it or not they on an ongoing basis release data to a variety of sources.

I don’t know if they can track you by your IP and log every page you view and now their Gmail accounts require a Phone for activation…  It does not sound good … they could profile everyone in extreme detail and probably get it wrong in most cases.

How many times have you visited YouTube and then had them suggest all types of weird videos specifically for you…?

Is this a service worth making use of?

Maybe if you are well aware of the technology behind it and if it is a necessity based on your unique situation.

On the other hand …

http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/