--- title: "SURF: A Modern Alternative to DNS Filtering and Proxies" description: "Evolve Web Security with SURF: A Modern Alternative to DNS Filtering and Proxies" image: https://blog.surf.security/hubfs/A%20Modern%20Alternative%20to%20DNS%20Filtering%20and%20Proxies.jpg --- # SURF: A Modern Alternative to DNS Filtering and Proxies [ Mishel Mejibovski ](https://blog.surf.security/author/mishel-mejibovski) 3 minutes read February 5, 2025 ![A Modern Alternative to DNS Filtering and Proxies](https://blog.surf.security/hubfs/A%20Modern%20Alternative%20to%20DNS%20Filtering%20and%20Proxies.jpg) The landscape of web security is evolving rapidly, and traditional tools like DNS filtering and proxies are struggling to keep up with modern threats. Organizations need a more dynamic and adaptive solution to protect their workforce, whether they are using managed or unmanaged devices. This is where **SURF** comes in. The **SURF extension for managed devices** and the **full SURF Enterprise Browser for unmanaged devices** offer comprehensive **web filtering, phishing protection, and extension management**, effectively replacing outdated security measures. ## The Shortcomings of Traditional DNS Filtering and Proxies Legacy web security solutions such as **DNS filtering and web proxies** were once effective but are now inadequate against modern threats: - **Performance Overhead** – Traditional proxies introduce latency and degrade user experience by routing traffic through centralized gateways. - **Limited Granularity** – DNS filtering operates at the domain level, meaning it cannot inspect individual web pages or identify malicious content dynamically. - **Slow Response to Threats** – Traditional proxies rely on static blocklists, which are often outdated when new threats emerge. - **Limited Visibility and Control Over Extensions** – DNS filtering and proxies lack visibility into browser extensions, potentially allowing malicious extensions to operate undetected. ## How SURF Enhances Web Security ### 1. **Advanced Web Filtering** Unlike legacy DNS filtering, **SURF provides category-based, custom, and keyword filtering** to block access to malicious or non-compliant sites. Key features include: - **Category-based filtering** – Restrict access to specific web categories (e.g., gambling, adult content, malicious sites). - **Custom filtering rules** – Create organization-specific policies to allow or block URLs based on security requirements. - **Keyword-based filtering** – Prevent users from accessing sites that contain specific, high-risk terms.   ### 2. **Phishing Protection** SURF **goes beyond traditional URL reputation checks** to provide **real-time phishing protection** using multiple techniques: - **Reputation-based filtering** – Block access to known phishing domains in real-time. - **Credential protection** – Prevent users from entering corporate credentials on untrusted websites. - **Regex-based protection** – Identify phishing attempts that mimic legitimate domains (e.g., homoglyph attacks, character swaps). - **Browser-in-the-Browser (BitB) Attack Mitigation** – Detect and block fake login pages designed to steal credentials. ### 3. **Extension Management and Risk-Based Controls** One of the biggest security blind spots in web security is **browser extensions**. **SURF introduces robust extension management capabilities:** - **Allow-listing** – Permit only approved browser extensions to run, reducing attack surfaces. - **Risk-based extension scoring** – Automatically block or restrict extensions based on their risk score, preventing malicious extensions from stealing data or injecting harmful scripts. ## Why Organizations Should Transition from DNS Filtering and Proxies The shift from traditional web security tools to **SURF** provides organizations with: 1. **Granular, real-time protection** – DNS filtering is too broad and outdated; a **browser-native** approach offers precise security. 2. **Better phishing detection** – SURF uses **behavioral and content-based analysis**, making it far more effective than static filtering lists. 3. **Improved extension security** – DNS filtering and proxies lack visibility into browser extensions, whereas SURF directly manages extensions. 4. **Seamless deployment** – Unlike proxies and VPNs, **browser-based security requires minimal infrastructure changes** and ensures security policies are enforced even on unmanaged devices. ## The Future of Web Security SURF operates natively within the browser, ensuring minimal performance impact and a seamless user experience. SURF provides granular extension management, including risk-based controls and allow-listing. SURF continuously updates its threat intelligence and uses AI-driven analysis to detect and block threats in real-time. Legacy security tools like **DNS filtering and web proxies** served their purpose but have become **obsolete in the face of modern threats**. **SURF**, in the form of its **browser extension for managed devices** and the **full Enterprise Browser for unmanaged devices**, offers a more advanced, adaptive, and user-friendly approach to **web filtering, phishing protection, and extension security**. By adopting **SURF**, organizations can achieve superior protection **without the limitations of traditional solutions**, ensuring a safer browsing experience for users across all devices, managed or not. 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