The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has reportedly begun the requirements that all internet service providers (ISPs) in the country implement public Domain Name System (DNS) redirection, specifically for businesses, enterprises, and governments, by 30 September. Some individuals are reportedly already being affected, with some taking to Reddit to post the redirection.
To provide a brief explanation, a DNS basically transform website names into IP addresses that your PC can then use to locate other sites on the internet. As per the explanation on a Maxis FAQ page, the DNS redirection means that public DNS services such as Google’s 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, or Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, would be redirected through their servers. This means that users may be unable to access certain sites that could be harmful, such as illegal streaming services, pornographic sites, and fake online investment scam sites.
Malaysia is implementing DNS block. All 3rd party DNS will be redirected to TM DNS instead. 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 will return 404.
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“Under the current direction, this method helps to block access to websites involved in online gambling, pornography, copyright violations, scams, and other illegal activities. The goal is to create a safer internet experience, especially for vulnerable users such as children and teenagers, by preventing access to inappropriate or dangerous sites.” One section of the Maxis FAQ explains.
Back in August, we reported that both Maxis and TIME had begun the implementation of DNS redirection on public servers. The initiative then was picked up by Sinar Project, who had conducted both automated and manual testing on the ISPs’ actions. The group says that such redirection could itself pose significant security risks, stating that users could be redirected to unauthenticated sites and services, which in turn could lead to potential data interception, along with other technical issues.
