Summary
Inside DNS Threat Intelligence: Privacy, Security & Innovation
In this episode of the Defenders Log, host David Redekop speaks with Tim Adams, the founder of the protective DNS resolver Scout DNS. Tim shares his origin story, explaining how he transitioned from a wireless network integrator to building his own DNS solution. He saw a need for an affordable, effective content filter for nonprofits and schools after OpenDNS was acquired by Cisco. What started as “Church DNS” in 2017 evolved into Scout DNS, a project Tim notes was far more complex than he initially imagined. He emphasizes that Scout DNS is bootstrapped and “private equity unencumbered,” a key selling point for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) who value stability.
The discussion covers several key DNS topics, including the challenge of balancing strong threat intelligence against false positives and the need to move beyond traditional threat feeds. Tim advocates for a zero-trust model that blocks unclassified or newly seen domains to shrink the attack surface. He also explains why Scout DNS adopted DNS over HTTPS (DoH) for its roaming clients, as it reliably uses port 443.
Looking ahead, Tim predicts a fractured internet with differing regional standards for privacy, weighing government access against corporate tracking. He concludes by highlighting the three reasons MSPs choose Scout DNS: a strong product built on word-of-mouth, a flexible month-to-month billing model, and high-touch customer service.
Full episode of The Defender’s Log here:
Inside DNS Threat Intelligence: Privacy, Security & Innovation | Tim Adams | The Defender’s Log
TL;DR
- Tim Adams founded Scout DNS, a bootstrapped (non-VC-funded) protective DNS service.
- He created it to provide an affordable alternative for users like nonprofits and schools after OpenDNS was acquired by Cisco.
- Tim advocates for DNS security to move beyond “known threat” lists and adopt a zero-trust approach by blocking unclassified or unknown domains. Content was cut in order to protect the source.Please visit the source for the rest of the article.
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