NOMINATION HIGHLIGHTS

DNSharmony®, a core technology of the ADAMnetworks® ecosystem, represents a paradigm shift in how organizations approach Protective DNS (PDNS). Rather than forcing a choice between competing security vendors, it acts as an intelligence aggregation layer, unifying multiple threat feeds into a single, resilient defense-in-depth posture.

Key Achievements and Innovations

1. Multi-Vendor Threat Intelligence Aggregation: DNSharmony’s standout innovation is its ability to query multiple PDNS resolvers (such as Quad9, Cloudflare, Cisco Umbrella, and DNSFilter) in parallel. By performing a “security union,” it ensures that if any single provider identifies a domain as malicious, the request is blocked, effectively closing the “intelligence gaps” left by single-source solutions.

2. Parallel Query Architecture: To maintain performance while aggregating data, DNSharmony utilizes a high-speed parallel processing engine. This minimizes latency, ensuring that the additional security checks do not degrade the end-user experience.

3. Resolver Resilience and High Availability: Beyond security, it serves as a failover mechanism. If a primary upstream resolver becomes slow or unavailable, DNSharmony seamlessly shifts resolution to the next healthy provider in the set, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for critical infrastructure.

4. Zero Vendor Lock-In: It empowers organizations with the flexibility to add, remove, or switch pDNS vendors without reconfiguring their entire network infrastructure, future-proofing their security stack.

5. DTTS® (Don’t Talk to Strangers): This patented technology addresses a fundamental flaw in TCP/IP—the lack of inherent authentication. DTTS enforces DNS as the Root of Trust, denying all outbound connections unless they are first verified by a DNS lookup and authorized by a specific policy. It effectively silences Command & Control (C2) callbacks and neutralizes data exfiltration by default.

Impact on DNS Security

DNSharmony transforms the DNS from a passive directory service into an active, Zero Trust enforcement point. Its impact is most visible in three areas:
1. Neutralizing Advanced Threats: By aggregating diverse intelligence, it provides superior protection against Zero-day attacks, Phishing, and C2 (Command and Control) callbacks that a single vendor might miss.

2. Simplified Compliance: It enables enterprises to meet strict regulatory requirements—such as those from CISA—by layering specialized government resolvers with commercial intelligence for a more robust defensive posture.

3. Agentless Universal Protection: Because it operates at the network layer, DNSharmony provides instant protection to all connected devices, including IoT, legacy systems, and guest hardware, without requiring endpoint software installation.