Cloudflare launched a new DNS (domain name system) service called 1.1.1.1, that will deliver internet’s fastest and private internet experience to the consumers.
DNS acts like internet’s directory. Whenever a link is clicked, an email is sent, or a mobile app is opened, the device looks up the domain address on the DNS network. The DNS network consists of two sides— the consumer side (Resolver) and the content side (Authoritative).
All the domains require an Authoritative DNS service, which Cloudflare has been providing since its launch in September 2010. On the other hand, all the devices connecting to the internet require a DNS resolver.
By default, whenever a user visits a webpage, the network operator (Internet service provider, Wi-Fi hotspot in coffee shop, etc.) offers the DNS resolver. With this, the network operator can monitor the traffic, see the sites you visited, and even intercept the data. Some network operators sell this data to the third parties.
“What many Internet users don’t realize is that even if you’re visiting a website that is encrypted — has the little green lock in your browser — that doesn’t keep your DNS resolver from knowing the identity of all the sites you visit. That means, by default, your ISP, every wifi network you’ve connected to, and your mobile network provider have a list of every site you’ve visited while using them,” wrote Cloudflare in a blog post.
Cloudflare’s new DNS resolver 1.1.1.1 addresses this issue, by creating a privacy-focused and faster internet experience.
For enhanced security, Cloudflare said that the DNS resolver doesn’t store client IP addresses. It only collects query names to prevent abuse and debug issues. Cloudflare claimed that all the collected logs by the resolver are deleted within 24 hours.
The 1.1.1.1 DNS resolver doesn’t change anything about the Cloudflare DNS Authoritative service.
For faster internet experience, Cloudflare is building datacenters worldwide so that the latency from ‘users to content’ can be reduced, and internet can be faster.
“Eventually we want everyone to be within 10 milliseconds of at least one of our locations.”
Also read: Let’s Encrypt to now issue free Wildcard certificates through ACMEv2
Cloudflare is using 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 IPv4 addresses for the public resolver, which are provided by APNIC. These are easier to remember than the typical IP addresses like 139.130.4.5.
