Episode 33 — Exploit passive DNS for historical context

Passive DNS (pDNS) is a critical forensic resource that provides a historical record of domain-to-IP resolutions, allowing an analyst to see how an adversary's infrastructure has changed over time. This episode focuses on exploiting pDNS to find "temporal patterns," such as when a domain was first registered, when it began resolving to a malicious IP, and if it has been used in previous campaigns. We explain how pDNS can bypass the limitations of live DNS queries, which only show the current state of a record and can be easily manipulated by an attacker. For the GCTI exam, you should understand how to use pDNS to identify "domain-IP co-occurrence," where multiple malicious domains resolve to the same server simultaneously. Practical application involves using pDNS to identify "dormant" infrastructure that was set up months in advance for a future attack. By exploiting this historical context, you gain a deep understanding of the adversary's operational tempo and their long-term infrastructure planning. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with.