Microsoft is working to bring support for “DNS over HTTPS” (DoH) to increase user privacy in future releases of Windows 10.
According to the company, Domain Name System (DNS) queries is the “last remaining plain-text domain name transmissions in common web traffic,” and integrating DoH to the Windows Core Networking should improve security and privacy of users when connected to internet by encrypting every query to prevent attacks and malicious individuals from snooping.
DNS over HTTPS is nothing new, it’s been available for a while, and applications like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera as well as many online networking services already support the protocol.
However, having the support on applications only protects the traffic on that application, and Microsoft wants to integrate the protocol at the operating system level to protect every query leaving your device.
Although the company says that the implementation has its challenges, it won’t be altering the DNS feature already built on Windows 10, and users will be in control on the DNS provider selection.
Furthermore, the implementation will be transparent for the users. For instance, if the device is set to use a provider that supports DNS over HTTPS, then Windows 10 will encrypt the queries automatically without the need of extra configuration.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.