---
title: Secure name service configuration
description: Secure name service configuration for the PingDirectory host system with DNS over TLS or DNS over HTTPS to prevent hijacking attacks.
component: pingdirectory
version: 10.2
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_security_guide:pd_sec_secure_name_service_config
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.1/pingdirectory_security_guide/pd_sec_addl_mech_secure_comm.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: 2023-09-13T00:00:00Z
---

# Secure name service configuration

If possible, you should use a secure name service like DNS over TLS or DNS over HTTPS. Regular DNS, especially DNS over UDP connections, is vulnerable to hijacking attacks.

If an attacker is able to run their own DNS server, and if that server is able to respond more quickly than the legitimate DNS server, then clients can be tricked into establishing connections to the wrong server.

If a secure DNS option is not available, then another option can be to use host files for name resolution. However, this option can be difficult to maintain in dynamic environments in which server addresses might change. It is also not a feasible option if you do not have control over the client systems.