hunting-for-dns-based-persistence
Hunt for DNS-based persistence mechanisms including DNS hijacking, dangling CNAME records, wildcard DNS abuse, and unauthorized zone modifications using passive DNS databases, SecurityTrails API, and DNS audit log analysis.
Best use case
hunting-for-dns-based-persistence is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Hunt for DNS-based persistence mechanisms including DNS hijacking, dangling CNAME records, wildcard DNS abuse, and unauthorized zone modifications using passive DNS databases, SecurityTrails API, and DNS audit log analysis.
Teams using hunting-for-dns-based-persistence should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/hunting-for-dns-based-persistence/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How hunting-for-dns-based-persistence Compares
| Feature / Agent | hunting-for-dns-based-persistence | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Hunt for DNS-based persistence mechanisms including DNS hijacking, dangling CNAME records, wildcard DNS abuse, and unauthorized zone modifications using passive DNS databases, SecurityTrails API, and DNS audit log analysis.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Hunting for DNS-based Persistence ## Overview Attackers establish DNS-based persistence by hijacking DNS records, creating unauthorized subdomains, abusing wildcard DNS entries, or modifying NS delegations to redirect traffic through attacker-controlled infrastructure. These techniques survive credential rotations, endpoint reimaging, and traditional remediation because DNS changes persist independently of compromised hosts. Detection requires passive DNS historical analysis, zone file auditing, and monitoring for unauthorized record modifications. This skill covers hunting methodologies using SecurityTrails passive DNS API, DNS audit logs from Route53/Azure DNS/Cloudflare, and zone transfer analysis. ## When to Use - When investigating security incidents that require hunting for dns based persistence - When building detection rules or threat hunting queries for this domain - When SOC analysts need structured procedures for this analysis type - When validating security monitoring coverage for related attack techniques ## Prerequisites - SecurityTrails API key (free tier provides 50 queries/month) - Access to DNS provider audit logs (Route53, Azure DNS, Cloudflare, or on-premises DNS) - Python 3.9+ with requests library - DNS zone file access or AXFR capability for internal zones - Historical DNS baseline for comparison ## Steps ### Step 1: Baseline DNS Records Export current DNS zone records and establish baseline for all authorized A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, and TXT records. ### Step 2: Query Passive DNS History Use SecurityTrails API to retrieve historical DNS records and identify unauthorized changes, new subdomains, and CNAME records pointing to decommissioned services (dangling CNAMEs). ### Step 3: Detect Anomalies Compare current records against baseline to identify unauthorized modifications, wildcard records that resolve all subdomains, NS delegation changes, and MX record hijacking. ### Step 4: Investigate Findings Correlate DNS anomalies with threat intelligence feeds, check resolution targets against known malicious infrastructure, and validate record ownership. ## Expected Output JSON report listing DNS anomalies with record type, historical changes, risk severity, and remediation recommendations for each finding.