author: programming

How to hide ip: Google Wants to Get Client IP Addresses From DNS Queries

Google Wants to Get Client IP Addresses From DNS Queries

Posted: 09 Feb 2010 04:39 AM PST

In a recent document posted on the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) called an ‘Internet-Draft’ by Google, Google called for a change in the DNS server system to allow major DNS servers worldwide to be able to pull client addresses from DNS requests.

This, according to them, is to enable bandwidth saving by rerouting traffic to servers nearest to where the request originated. A few authoritative individuals also want that several other details be sought by the DNS servers if client identity is going to be resolved at all. Latitude/Longitude, ISP, country and the age of the individual can be quite helpful in a number of areas like security, cyber crime and catching pedophiles. Who will regulate these confidential details is something which poses a rather sticky question.

The proposal will not only save significant bandwidth, it will also allow for better speeds as distances are cut short if it is implemented. Normally, data often has to travel across continents before it comes to the user. For example, a request originating in Boston probably travels all over the world through multiple servers before it comes back to the user. This proposal will ensure that the nearest server only handles the request, thus increasing the speed manifold.

The idea is quite far from becoming reality though, as just an Internet-Draft has been submitted which can be submitted by anyone with an Internet connection and free time on their hands. If a draft is not updated twice is year, it is deleted. In the event that it garners interest, it is usually bumped up to the status of ‘Request For Comments’ or RFC though the standards for the same are not very stringent. For anything which is to become an Internet standard though, the requirement is much higher and rarely do drafts reach that level.

Google plans to address the obvious privacy concerns through an encryption system which will encrypt the client addresses such that only the DNS server can read it. Why the DNS server cannot maintain a list of server addresses which the host ISP server cannot resolve on its own hereby calming privacy concerns is something which hasn’t been answered as of now. Going by the current stance of the IETF, the idea probably won’t garner much approval from the board due to its inherent privacy concerns which are against the free nature of the Internet which the IETF seeks to promote.

[Via Arstechnica.com]

Is this a good idea for the online anonymity seekers?

Personally, I think this is another step towards zero Internet privacy. From my undertanding, such a DNS could retain info regarding my browsing habits. This may be a good idea from the point of view of the bandwidth, but definitely it is not something I would like to happen.

What do you think about this proposal?

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Google Wants to Get Client IP Addresses From DNS Queries