Our First ICANN DNS Resilience Training at UCT
The past two months have marked a significant milestone in cybersecurity education at the University of Cape Town. As part of C3SA's ongoing commitment to tackling DNS abuse in Southern Africa through our ICANN-funded project, we successfully launched and completed our first-ever intensive 3-day DNS Resilience Training program.
Why This Training Mattered
DNS (Domain Name System) forms the backbone of internet infrastructure, yet it remains one of the most vulnerable points in cybersecurity. With DNS abuse incidents on the rise across Southern Africa, there was a clear need for specialized training that could bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation skills.
Our training program was designed with a unique dual focus: providing both technical hands-on experience and managerial insights into DNS governance. This approach ensured that participants—whether curious beginners or aspiring cybersecurity experts—could gain comprehensive understanding of DNS security challenges and mitigation strategies.
The Three-Day Journey: What We Accomplished
Day 1: Building Strong Foundations
The first day focused on establishing solid fundamentals. Participants dove into DNS basics, learning core concepts that would serve as the foundation for more advanced topics. We guided everyone through setting up their own DNS lab environments, ensuring each participant had the tools needed for practical learning. Essential Linux command-line skills were also covered, recognizing that effective DNS management requires comfort with command-line operations.
Day 2: Hands-On Security in Action
The second day brought theory to life through intensive practical sessions. Participants configured complete DNS infrastructures from scratch, gaining invaluable experience in real-world deployment scenarios. The highlight of this day was our comprehensive exploration of DNS abuse scenarios, where we simulated and analyzed actual attack vectors including DNS spoofing, cache poisoning, and NXDomain attacks. These weren't just theoretical discussions—participants witnessed these attacks in action and learned to implement defensive techniques, including DNSSEC implementation.
Day 3: Governance Meets Resilience
Our final day took a broader perspective, covering the critical intersection of DNS governance and abuse resilience. The morning session addressed DNS governance, infrastructure architecture, strategy development, policy compliance, and operational lifecycles. The afternoon shifted focus to abuse patterns, security frameworks, and building resilience into DNS operations.
Beyond the Classroom: Real-World Impact
What made this training particularly valuable was its practical orientation. Participants didn't just learn about DNS security—they experienced it firsthand through real-world attack demonstrations and hands-on defensive implementations. This approach ensured that knowledge gained could be immediately applied in professional settings.
The limited seats available for this first-of-its-kind internal training created an environment of focused learning, where each participant received personalized attention and could engage deeply with complex concepts.
Looking Forward: Building on Success
This inaugural DNS Resilience Training represented more than just a successful educational program—it's a foundation for ongoing efforts to strengthen DNS security awareness across the region. The enthusiastic participation and positive feedback from attendees confirm the critical need for specialized cybersecurity training in Southern Africa.
As we reflect on these past two months, we're already planning the next phase of our DNS security education initiatives. The knowledge and skills developed during this training will undoubtedly contribute to a more secure and resilient internet infrastructure across our region.
The Bigger Picture: C3SA's Ongoing Mission
This training aligns perfectly with C3SA's broader mission of tackling DNS abuse in Southern Africa through our ICANN-funded project. By building local expertise and capacity, we're creating a network of skilled professionals who can identify, respond to, and prevent DNS-related security incidents.
The past two months have demonstrated that with the right combination of technical depth, practical application, and strategic thinking, we can make significant strides in cybersecurity education and DNS resilience.
This training program is part of C3SA's ongoing efforts to combat DNS abuse in Southern Africa, supported by ICANN funding. For more information about our cybersecurity initiatives and future training opportunities, visit our website or contact our team on c3sa@uct.ac.za.