Like every internet-connected device, your Mac stores cached DNS records. However, sometimes this may cause connectivity and security issues for you. Therefore, you need to know how to flush the DNS cache on your MacOS.
As this information is stored on a local level in your operating system (OS), the lookup will be completed faster. Thus, the DNS cache serves as an accelerator of the DNS lookup process. Without it, your OS would need to query the DNS server every time, which increases the DNS lookup latency.
The Time-to-Live (TTL) determines for how many seconds the DNS client can be caching a record. When the TTL expires for a DNS record, an updated one has to propagate globally. That is when the DNS lookup process begins anew.
The OS uses a DNS client ( Stub Resolver) to handle all DNS lookups. The resolver first checks the DNS cache. If the website has been accessed before, the OS will complete the DNS lookup locally instead of querying the DNS server. In this way, the DNS cache expedites the process and thus, the content you are looking for will be displayed faster.
Since the DNS propagation may take anywhere between 24-72 hours, your cached data may be out-of-date. This can result in issues with website access, or sites being displayed with old content. Clearing your browser cache may help with such problems; however, it may not be sufficient. For example, if you have recently changed the DNS records for your domain name, these changes may not have propagated globally just yet.
That is when flushing the DNS cache comes into place. By doing this, you will be prompting your computer to update the DNS records in its DNS cache. Hence, if you try to reach your website afterward, your browser will be querying the DNS server for the latest DNS records information.
While you are browsing the internet, your MacOS is collecting DNS cache of your search history. However, your browsing history may get into the hands of mal-intended web users or data collectors. To keep this information private, it is essential to frequently flush DNS cache.
DNS poisoning, a.k.a DNS spoofing, is a cybersecurity threat that allows hackers to manipulate your DNS cache records. In this type of attack, the hackers modify the DNS cache records with a spoofed DNS record. In this way, they may redirect you to fraudulent websites with the aim to steal your sensitive information or infect your device with malware.
Clearing your local DNS cache should be done on a regular basis. It ensures consistent web access and helps with network security. Although there is no particular period for resetting the DNS cache, you should flush it systematically.
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