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The ongoing cyber crisis at Marks and Spencer, now in its fourth week, highlights severe vulnerabilities in both its digital infrastructure and its banking partner HSBC. Despite interventions from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and CrowdStrike, critical internet assets remain exposed, putting millions of customers at risk.
Key Vulnerabilities Identified
- Insecure DNS Start of Authority (SOA) Records: Exposes sensitive infrastructure details, allowing attackers to map network hierarchies and identify primary name servers.
- Third-Party Risks: Traditional banks like HSBC must rigorously assess the cybersecurity resilience of partners.
- Lack of Basic Cyber Hygiene: Absence of fundamental security measures in 2025 is alarming.
You Should Know: DNS Security Best Practices & Commands
1. Analyzing DNS SOA Records
Use `dig` to inspect SOA records:
dig SOA hsbc.com
Expected Output:
[/bash]
hsbc.com. 3600 IN SOA ns1.hsbc.com. admin.hsbc.com. (
2024050101 ; serial
3600 ; refresh
1800 ; retry
604800 ; expire
86400 ; minimum TTL
)
Risk: Exposed admin email (<code>admin.hsbc.com</code>) and primary nameserver (<code>ns1.hsbc.com</code>) can be targeted. <ol> <li>Preventing DNS Cache Poisoning Enable DNSSEC to validate DNS responses: [bash] sudo apt install bind9 sudo named-checkconf /etc/bind/named.conf.options sudo systemctl restart bind9
Add in `/etc/bind/named.conf.options`:
dnssec-validation auto; dnssec-enable yes;
3. Detecting DNS Leaks
Use `nslookup` to verify unauthorized DNS queries:
nslookup example.com
Check for unexpected DNS servers.
4. Hardening DNS Servers
- Disable Zone Transfers:
zone "example.com" { type master; file "/etc/bind/db.example.com"; allow-transfer { none; }; }; - Restrict Recursive Queries:
recursion no; allow-recursion { none; };
5. Monitoring DNS Traffic
Use `tcpdump` to capture DNS packets:
sudo tcpdump -i eth0 port 53 -w dns_traffic.pcap
What Undercode Say
The Marks and Spencer-HSBC breach underscores systemic DNS security failures. Organizations must:
– Audit SOA Records: Remove sensitive details like admin emails.
– Enforce DNSSEC: Prevent spoofing and cache poisoning.
– Isolate Critical DNS Servers: Restrict external access.
– Monitor Anomalies: Use tools like `dnstop` for real-time analysis.
Linux Commands for DNS Security:
Check open DNS resolvers nmap -sU -p 53 --script=dns-recursion <target> Test for DNS amplification vulnerabilities dig +short @<target> ANY isc.org
Windows DNS Hardening:
Disable DNS recursion Set-DnsServerRecursion -Enable $false Enable DNS logging Set-DnsServerDiagnostics -All $true
Expected Output: A secure DNS infrastructure with minimized attack surface, logged queries, and DNSSEC validation.
Prediction
Without immediate remediation, similar breaches will escalate, targeting other retailers and banks with weak DNS configurations. Proactive hardening and third-party audits will become regulatory mandates.
References:
Reported By: Andy Jenkinson – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
