Header injection for Cisco Umbrella DNS

[jwbanning]

Hi, 
I am trying to understand if it is possible to use Cisco Umbrella DNS to inject a custom header into requests.  Just to clarify we are not using Cisco SIG. 

Thanks, 
John

[suppy]

To the best of my knowledge, Cisco Umbrella DNS is primarily a cloud-based security service that provides DNS-layer security, threat intelligence, and web filtering to protect users from malicious internet destinations. It does not typically offer features to inject custom headers into HTTP requests.

However, you might be able to achieve this by using Umbrella in conjunction with other Cisco security products or solutions. Here are a couple of approaches to consider:

1. Cisco Umbrella + Cisco Secure Internet Gateway (SIG)
Cisco Secure Internet Gateway (SIG) is another cloud-based security service that offers secure web access and visibility for users, devices, and applications. If your organization is using both Umbrella and SIG, you might be able to configure custom headers using the SIG functionality.

With SIG, you can create policies to control access to web applications and URLs. Depending on the capabilities of SIG, you might find options to modify or inject headers as part of these policies.

2. Proxy or Web Server
Another approach could involve setting up a local proxy server or web server within your network. You could configure Umbrella to route traffic through this proxy or web server, which can then add the desired custom headers to outgoing requests.

For example, you could use a proxy server like Squid or a web server like Apache or Nginx, and configure it to inject custom headers based on specific conditions or rules.

3. Umbrella API or Custom Development
If neither of the above options fits your requirements, you might explore using the Cisco Umbrella APIs to build custom integrations or applications. The Umbrella APIs provide programmatic access to various Umbrella functionalities, allowing you to automate tasks, retrieve data, and potentially modify requests or responses.

You could develop a script or application that intercepts outgoing requests, adds custom headers, and then forwards them to the Umbrella DNS resolver.

However, do note that modifying HTTP headers in transit can introduce complexities and potential security risks. Ensure that any modifications you make comply with your organization's security policies and best practices.

[tariq.hameed]

Injecting custom headers into DNS requests using Cisco Umbrella is not a standard feature provided by the service. Cisco Umbrella DNS primarily functions as a recursive DNS service that provides security and filtering options based on DNS queries. It does not typically allow for the modification of DNS request headers, as it operates at the DNS level rather than the HTTP level where headers are used.

However, if you’re looking to customize DNS queries or responses, you might consider using the DNS Policies within the Umbrella dashboard, which allows you to apply various security settings and create custom policies. For more advanced configurations, such as manipulating DNS packets, you would likely need to use a different tool or service that operates at the appropriate level of the network stack.

For your specific use case, it’s important to consult the official Cisco documentation or reach out to Cisco support for guidance on whether your desired header injection is feasible through any of their services or if there’s an alternative approach that you can take.