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Discover why MikroTik DNS services are problematic, posing security risks & performance issues in the face of DDoS attacks
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MikroTik routers might be popular among small businesses and ISPs due to their affordability, but when it comes to DNS services, they are nothing short of a disaster.
From security flaws to poor performance, MikroTik's built-in DNS resolver has been at the centre of some of the biggest DDoS attacks in history. If youāre relying on MikroTik for DNS resolution, youāre not just making a mistakeāyouāre putting your network at risk.
Letās break down why MikroTik DNS is not up to scratch, why itās insecure, and why a proper SD-WAN solution like Fusionās is the right choice instead.
One of the biggest concerns with MikroTikās DNS is its horrendous security track record.
š“ MikroTik routers have been exploited in some of the worst DDoS attacks in history.
š“ Open resolvers on MikroTik routers have been hijacked to amplify DNS-based DDoS attacks.
š“ Their DNS implementation lacks modern security features like DNSSEC validation by default.
MikroTik routers have been found wide open on the internet, acting as massive attack vectors for cybercriminals. Once compromised, they are used for:
DNS amplification attacks
Botnet propagation
Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks
If youāre running a MikroTik router without locking down its DNS properly, youāre essentially providing free ammunition for hackers.
Even if we ignore the security risks (which you shouldn't), MikroTikās DNS is just plain unreliable.
šØ Slow DNS resolution ā Query performance is inconsistent and lags compared to standard DNS resolvers.
šØ Poor caching implementation ā The MikroTik DNS cache doesn't always refresh properly, leading to stale records and connection issues.
šØ Frequent DNS failures ā Many users experience random DNS resolution failures, forcing manual reboots.
For a small business, unreliable DNS means:
ā Delayed website loading
ā Problems with cloud services
ā VoIP call quality drops
For an ISP or large network, it means outright disasterāwith customers experiencing slow browsing, failed lookups, and endless support calls.
Compare that to a proper SD-WAN solution like Fusionās, which uses DNSMASQ with multiple upstream resolvers for rock-solid DNS reliability.
MikroTikās poor security practices have led to some of the most devastating cyberattacks ever seen.
Attackers exploited MikroTik routers left open with weak DNS configurations.
These devices were used for massive DNS amplification attacks against major targets.
Result? One of the biggest DDoS attacks in history, causing widespread outages.
And this isnāt a one-time thing. MikroTik routers have been continuously exploited in multiple large-scale attacks.
š» Many users donāt lock down the router properly, leaving the DNS open to abuse.
š» Even when secured, MikroTik firmware updates often reintroduce vulnerabilities.
š» MikroTik fails to implement proper security defaults, making it an easy target.
If a vendorās product has been used in multiple major cyberattacks, do you really trust it to run your networkās DNS?
If you actually care about:
ā
Security
ā
Reliability
ā
Performance
ā¦ then MikroTikās DNS is NOT the solution.
Instead, Fusionās SD-WAN implements DNS properly:
Uses DNSMASQ for efficient DNS resolution.
Configured with multiple upstream resolvers (Quad9, Cloudflare, OpenDNS).
Uses all-servers mode, ensuring the fastest and most reliable name resolution.
Completely secureāno open resolvers, no hijacking risks.
MikroTik might be a cheap option, but when it comes to DNS services, itās simply not fit for purpose.
ā Insecure ā A massive attack vector for DDoS abuse.
ā Unreliable ā Slow resolution, stale caching, and frequent failures.
ā Widely exploited ā Has been at the centre of some of the biggest cyberattacks in history.
If youāre serious about secure, reliable DNS, ditch MikroTik and use a proper SD-WAN solution. Fusionās SD-WAN ensures rock-solid DNS performanceāno exploits, no downtime, just seamless connectivity.