Gain visibility into DNS activity with Route 53 Global Resolver
Route 53 Global Resolver provides comprehensive DNS query logging capabilities to monitor client device activity and identify security threats. Enable DNS query logging in Route 53 Global Resolver to see what websites client devices access, identify potential security threats, and analyze DNS resolution patterns. Logs capture comprehensive information about each query, including which security policies were applied.
What information is captured in DNS logs
Each DNS query log entry provides detailed information about client device activity and security policy enforcement:
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Query information - Domain name, query type, query class, and protocol used
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Client device information - Source IP address, DNS view, and authentication method
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Response information - Response code, answer records, and response time
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Security actions - Firewall rule matches, threat detection results, and actions taken
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Metadata - Timestamp, global resolver ID, Region, and trace information
OCSF format for security integration
DNS query logs use the Open Cybersecurity Schema Framework (OCSF), which provides a standardized format for security event data. This format enables:
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Standardized analysis - Consistent schema across different security tools
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Improved interoperability - Easy integration with SIEM and analytics platforms
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Enhanced correlation - Ability to correlate DNS events with other security data
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Future compatibility - Support for evolving security analysis requirements
OCSF log format examples
Route 53 Global Resolver DNS query logs follow the OCSF schema structure, providing detailed information about each DNS query, response, and security action. The following examples show the log format for allowed and denied queries.
Route 53 Global Resolver DNS log - Access allowed example
This example shows a DNS query that was allowed through firewall rules. The log includes query details, response information, and enrichment data with Route 53 Global Resolver-specific identifiers.
{ "action_id": 1, "action_name": "Allowed", "activity_id": 6, "activity_name": "Traffic", "category_name": "Network Activity", "category_uid": 4, "class_name": "DNS Activity", "class_uid": 4003, "cloud": { "provider": "AWS", "region": "us-east-1", "account": { "uid": "123456789012" } }, "connection_info": { "direction": "Inbound", "direction_id": 1, "protocol_name": "udp", "protocol_num": 17, "protocol_ver": "", "uid": "db21d1739ddb423a" }, "duration": 1, "end_time": 1761358379996, "answers": [{ "rdata": "3.3.3.3", "type": "A", "class": "IN", "ttl": 300 }, { "rdata": "3.3.3.4", "type": "A", "class": "IN", "ttl": 300 }], "src_endpoint": { "ip": "3.3.3.1", "port": 56576 }, "enrichments": [{ "name": "global-resolver", "value": "gr-a1b2c3d4fexample", "data": { "dns_view_id": "dnsv-a1b2c3d4fexample", "firewall_rule_id": "fr-a1b2c3d4fexample", "token_id": "t-a1b2c3d4fexample", "token_name": "device-123456", "token_expiration": "1789419206", } }], "message": "", "metadata": { "version": "1.2.0", "product": { "name": "Global Resolver", "vendor_name": "AWS", "feature": { "name": "DNS" } } }, "query": { "hostname": "example.com.", "class": "IN", "type": "A", "opcode": "Query", "opcode_id": 0 }, "query_time": 1761358379995, "rcode": "NOERROR", "rcode_id": 0, "response_time": 1761358379995, "severity": "Informational", "severity_id": 1, "src_endpoint": { "ip": "3.3.3.3", "port": 28276 }, "start_time": 1761358379995, "status": "Success", "status_id": 1, "time": 1761358379995, "type_name": "DNS Activity: Traffic", "type_uid": 400306 }
Route 53 Global Resolver DNS log - Access denied example
This example shows a DNS query that was blocked by firewall rules. The log includes the denial action, empty answers array, and REFUSED response code indicating the query was not processed.
{ "action_id": 2, "action_name": "Denied", "activity_id": 6, "activity_name": "Traffic", "category_name": "Network Activity", "category_uid": 4, "class_name": "DNS Activity", "class_uid": 4003, "cloud": { "provider": "AWS", "region": "us-west-2", "account": { "uid": "123456789012" } }, "connection_info": { "direction": "Inbound", "direction_id": 1, "protocol_name": "tcp", "protocol_num": 6, "protocol_ver_id": 4, "uid": "9fdc6fbc09794d5e" }, "duration": 1, "end_time": 1761358379996, "answers": [], "src_endpoint": { "ip": "3.3.3.3", "port": 28276 }, "enrichments": [ { "name": "global-resolver", "value": "gr-a1b2c3d4fexample", "data": { "dns_view_id": "dnsv-a1b2c3d4fexample", "firewall_rule_id": "fr-a1b2c3d4fexample", "token_id": "t-a1b2c3d4fexample", "token_name": "device-123456", "token_expiration": "1789419206", } } ], "message": "", "metadata": { "version": "1.2.0", "product": { "name": "Global Resolver", "vendor_name": "AWS", "feature": { "name": "DNS" } } }, "query": { "hostname": "example.com.", "class": "IN", "type": "A", "opcode": "Query", "opcode_id": 0 }, "query_time": 1761358379995, "rcode": "REFUSED", "rcode_id": 5, "response_time": 1761358379995, "severity": "Informational", "severity_id": 1, "start_time": 1761358379995, "status": "Failure", "status_id": 1, "time": 1761358379995, "type_name": "DNS Activity: Traffic", "type_uid": 400306 }
