DNSWalk – DNS Database Auditing Tool

DNSWalk is a DNS auditing and security testing tool used to analyze DNS zone files for inconsistencies, errors, and potential security issues. It performs a zone transfer (if permitted) and checks for common misconfigurations in a domain’s DNS records.

DNSWalk Features

Dnswalk is a DNS database debugger. It performs zone transfers of specified domains, and checks
the database in numerous ways for internal consistency, as well as for correctness according to accepted
practices with the DNS.

• Performs a complete DNS zone transfer (if allowed).
• Checks for missing or inconsistent DNS records.
• Identifies potential security risks in DNS configurations.
• Useful for network administrators and security professionals.

Install DNSWalk

DNSWalk may not be pre-installed in Kali Linux. To install it, use the following command:

$ sudo apt-get install dnswalk

Performing a Basic DNS Audit

To perform a basic audit on a domain, use the following command:

$ dnswalk example.com.

This command checks for errors in the DNS zone of example.com.

 

Performing a Zone Transfer Check

To attempt a zone transfer and audit the DNS records, use:

$ dnswalk -r example.com.

If the zone transfer is allowed, it retrieves and analyzes all DNS records. The domain name specified on the command line MUST end with a ‘.’

Verbose Mode for Detailed Output

To get more detailed information about DNS inconsistencies, use:

$ dnswalk -v example.com.

The verbose mode provides additional insights into DNS issues.

Checking a Specific Name Server

To perform a DNS check using a specific name server, use:

$ dnswalk -d ns1.example.com example.com.

This command queries the specified name server for DNS records.

DNSWalk is a valuable tool for auditing DNS configurations and identifying security vulnerabilities. It helps administrators detect misconfigured DNS settings that could lead to security risks such as DNS poisoning or unauthorized zone transfers.