Look Up a Domain's DNS Footprint
Map a domain's hosts, addresses, and networks in Cyber DNS Explorer and keep each dated snapshot.
DNS Explorer shows the public DNS records of a domain and the networks that host its addresses. Y2 keeps each answer as a dated snapshot and adds it to the shared ontology. See DNS footprints in the graph for how snapshots become entities.
Before you begin
- Use a Pro or Elite workspace. See Plans and Limits.
- A new snapshot uses one lookup from the workspace's monthly allowance. Pro includes 5. Elite includes 1,000.
- A snapshot younger than 14 days opens without a lookup.
- To save the domain to a Project, you need Explorer access and edit access to the Project.
Snapshots are shared
Every workspace receives the same snapshot of a domain for 14 days. Snapshot history shows when a domain was looked up. It does not show the workspace or person. Your list of recent lookups stays in your workspace.
Look up a domain
- Open Cyber in the signed-in app.
- Select DNS Explorer.
- Enter a domain, such as
example.com. - Select Look up.
Y2 removes a scheme, path, port, and leading www. from the entry.
A new snapshot can take several seconds because Y2 paces requests to the provider.
The page shows Captured with the capture time, the footprint map, and the record tables. Mapped to the ontology appears after Y2 adds the snapshot to the graph. If a snapshot from the last 14 days exists, it opens and the allowance does not change. The line under the field shows the lookups left in the current UTC month.
Read the footprint
The map starts at the domain and connects to one hub for each record type. Each host connects to the addresses that it resolves to. Addresses appear in groups under the network operator (ASN) that announces them, with their netblock. Move the pointer over a host to highlight its addresses.
The tables list Hosts (A), Mail (MX), Name servers, TXT, and CNAME records. Address cells show reverse DNS and the HTTP and TLS banners that the provider reported.
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Free-tier cap | The provider has more A records than the 50 that it returned |
| Changed since previous snapshot | The records differ from the previous snapshot of the domain |
| Unchanged since previous snapshot | The records match the previous snapshot of the domain |
Compare snapshots
Snapshot history appears when a domain has two or more snapshots. Select a date to open that snapshot. Changed marks a snapshot whose records differ from the snapshot before it. Y2 takes a new snapshot only after the latest snapshot is 14 days old.
Add the domain to a Project
- Select Open in Explorer in the snapshot header.
- Select Add to Project in Explorer.
- Choose the Project in Save graph to a Project.
Open the Project's Graph to check that the domain is present.
If Y2 records a company whose official website is the domain, the header shows Company operates this domain. Select it to open the company in Explorer.
Troubleshoot a lookup
| Message | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter a domain name, not an IP address. | Enter a registered domain name. DNS Explorer does not accept IP addresses |
| Reserved and internal domains cannot be looked up. | Enter a public domain. Names that end in .local, .internal, .test, or .example are rejected |
| This workspace has used its 5 DNS lookups for month. | Open domains with a snapshot from the last 14 days. The allowance resets at the start of the next UTC month |
| DNS lookups have reached today's limit. | Try again after midnight UTC |
| DNSDumpster is unavailable right now. | Try again later. A failed lookup does not use the allowance |
| Ontology mapping failed | The records on the page are complete. Contact [email protected] with the domain and capture time |