Overview
SafeDNS protects university devices by blocking access to websites categorized as malicious by trusted intelligence sources or ITS Security. Devices on campus or connected to the university VPN receive SafeDNS protection, with the exception of Guest wireless devices.
SafeDNS aggregates a list of malicious fully qualified domain names (FQDNs). The indicators are then sent to the university DNS servers. When a client queries for a domain in the blocklist, the university DNS servers send a reply pointing the client to blocked.uidaho.edu instead of resolving the query to the actual, malicious host.
SafeDNS employs a safelist function to reduce the risk of a legitimate domain getting blocked. Common legitimate internet domains, such as google.com, are ingested from trusted sources. Any indicators marked as malicious which also appear in the legitimate domain list are dropped from the blocklist before being sent to the university DNS servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know a website was blocked by SafeDNS?
Websites blocked by SafeDNS display the following webpage:
For some websites, the block process may result in a generic looking message:
I think a website was incorrectly blocked. How do I request review of the website?
If you have a website you think was incorrectly blocked by SafeDNS, submit a ticket to ITS Security using the form at https://support.uidaho.edu/TDClient/40/Portal/Requests/ServiceDet?ID=664 or email support@uidaho.edu. Include the website URL or domain name you would like reviewed. ITS Security will investigate the reported website.