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DNS services come in many different forms; some focus on improving loading times, whereas others are centered on privacy and online safety. As such, they are an oft-overlooked part of your online security toolbox.

But which are the best DNS services for keeping your family and network safe? Let’s take a look. Here are seven security-focused DNS providers that you should check out today. They are easy to set up and start using.

1. Quad9

Quad9 is a free DNS service that focuses on security rather than speed (though the page loading speeds via the DNS are still perfectly snappy).

When you visit a site, Quad9 will check the site you are about to visit against a list of malicious hostnames in real-time. The list is provided by more than 12 of the world’s leading cybersecurity firms.

This process means any threats to your PC, mobile device, or smart home device will be blocked and cannot make it through to your network.

Quad9 is also committed to user privacy. Based out of Switzerland, it does not log any IP addresses and automatically uses encryption if your system supports it. Both IPv4 and IPv6 connections are also available.

2. Neustar UltraDNS Public

Formerly known as Verisign Public DNS, the company rebranded to Neustar UltraDNS Public in late 2020 following a buyout. Like Quad9, the service puts security and privacy at the heart of its operational ethos.

A few different plans are available, each of which offers differing levels of security.

For example, Neustar’s Unfiltered Resolution Plan will not block any specific categories. If you jump up to the Threat Protection plan, you can block malware, ransomware, spyware, and phishing attacks. If you plan to deploy Neustar UltraDNS Public in a home that you share with young children, you need to opt for the Family Secure option; it adds gambling, pornography, violence, and hate/discrimination to the list of blocked topics.

Behind the scenes, Neustar UltraDNS Public is using 30 nodes across six continents to do real-time filtering. Once again, IPv4 and IPv6 connections are available.

3. DNSFilter

DNSFilter is an AI-powered DNS security tool. It can help you block ransomware, phishing attacks, malware, botnets, and more.

It is primarily aimed at business users who want to protect their office’s network. Features include content filtering, the ability to enforce "safe search" on Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yandex, and low latency thanks to its 48 global datacenters.

The service is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS. It can protect your office network and any public Wi-Fi networks that you make available to on-premise guests.

DNSFilter costs $1 per user for up to 20 users.

4. OpenNIC

Of course, "protecting your family" doesn’t necessarily only refer to security threats. Online censorship is an equally severe problem.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not just a problem that affects authoritarian countries. The UK has suffered a never-ending will they/won’t they debate regarding blocked sites in certain categories, while the US has been quick to block access to many of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. And that’s before you consider more run-of-the-mill themes such as Netflix access and sporting events.

OpenNIC is the solution to many of these issues. The company prides itself on providing access to sites that your ISP has restricted and prevents an ISP from getting their hands on your DNS history.

The entire service is a non-profit organization run by volunteers, so there is no cost for using the app. You can choose from more than 30 servers to connect to. Each is shown with information such as whether logs are kept, the availability of DNS over HTTP, DNS over TLS, and more.

5. Yandex.DNS

Yandex is a well-known Russian search engine provider that is widely seen as a Google competitor. While some might wince at using a Russian DNS service, the product is surprisingly robust and will do a great job of blocking young eyes from seeing inappropriate content.

It has more than 80 servers in different cities around the world and will automatically block network access to adult sites when Family Mode is enabled.

There is also a Safe Mode that you can toggle on and off. When turned on, Yandex.DNS will block access to potentially dangerous sites and prevent you from downloading files flagged as malware, ransomware, and similar.

You can use Yandex.DNS on your devices (such as laptops and phones) as well as at the router level. If you want to protect an entire network, the router approach is the way to go.

6. AdGuard DNS

Ads are another serious issue when it comes to online safety for your family and keeping your network secure.

While networks like Google Ads do everything in their power to stop dangerous ads from displaying, there will always be times that something slips through the net. And that still doesn’t take into consideration all the other less scrupulous ad networks out there, many of which specialize in adult themes and even propagating malware and other viruses.

AdGuard aims to block ads at the DNS level. That means you can install this DNS on your home’s Wi-Fi router and block ads across the whole network. A family protection mode will also allow you to block sites that provide various forms of adult content, making this a one-size-fits-all option.

AdGuard has servers in the US, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

7. OpenDNS

The Cisco-owned OpenDNS is one of the most well-known names in the DNS sector. Available on the router and the device level, it offers pre-configured protection that will keep your family safe from adult content, viruses, malware, ransomware, and other forms of online threats.

Importantly for a DNS provider, the uptime is flawless. Indeed, it has managed a barely believable 100% uptime since 2006. More than 60,000 new malicious destinations are added to the database every day, and the network deals with 620 billion DNS requests every 24 hours.

Use a DNS Service Today and Stay Safe Online

All the services we have discussed in this article will keep you safe. For maximum protection, you should run them on your router rather than on a device-by-device basis. Doing so will ensure that your family won’t be accidentally exposed to dangerous content when using other gadgets.

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Fedora Linux is one of the most well-known versions of the Linux operating system. This community-run Linux distribution, sponsored by Red Hat, prides itself on developing and introducing the software that eventually makes its way to other Linux distros.

Fedora Silverblue packages and uses that software in a way different from the traditional Linux desktop model, one that may become the way forward for Fedora and, possibly, other Linux distros. You can already use it today, and here’s why you might want to.

What Is Fedora Silverblue?

Fedora Silverblue is a version of Fedora Linux centered around rpm-ostree and Flatpak. In a nutshell, this provides Linux with the kind of security and app distribution seen on mobile phones and Chromebooks. To understand Fedora Silverblue, it helps to understand these two technologies first:

What Is rpm-ostree?

Instead of distributing an operating system consisting of hundreds of packages, Silverblue provides your system as a single image. When updates arrive, rather than downloading newer versions of specific packages, such as the system components and libraries that operate in the background, Silverblue provides a single newer image that contains these updates.

This comes with a few big benefits. One is stability. Your system won’t fail to boot or malfunction because a single package is missing or corrupted. Instead, your system is one big all-or-nothing image. But if a problem does arise, you can easily undo the mistake by booting using a previous image that is known to work.

What Is Flatpak?

Flatpak is a universal app format that enables you to install an app on virtually any Linux distro. This is a replacement for traditional packages such as DEB and RPM, which are not universal. A distro that uses DEB packages, such as Debian or Ubuntu, can not install RPM packages, and vice versa.

Flatpaks also come with added security benefits. Each app is a sandbox, isolated from the rest of your system. For an app to access other components, such as your files or your webcam, you must grant it permission.

Getting Started With Fedora Silverblue

Installing Fedora Silverblue works the same way as installing Fedora Workstation. You can head to the same website, getfedora.org, and scroll down until you see Silverblue, or you can go directly to the Silverblue website to download the necessary ISO.

If you’re familiar with the installer in Fedora Linux or Red Hat Enterprise Linux, then you already know what to expect in Silverblue. Newcomers will find the process comparable to installing applications on Microsoft Windows, where clicking the “Next” button often enough will eventually result in the software you want being installed.

Once you reboot into your new system, you will see a pristine GNOME desktop and the GNOME Tour app, which introduces you to the way GNOME works. At this point, you haven’t yet encountered a difference between Fedora Silverblue and Fedora Workstation, but you’re about to.

How to Install Updates

One of the first things you will need to do on your new system is install updates. You can open GNOME Software and try to view available updates, but this may or may not work. For better or worse, this is not an issue specific to Fedora Silverblue. I find GNOME Software to be an unreliable tool for displaying and installing updates on Fedora Workstation as well.

If GNOME Software works, you will see a prompt to “Restart & Update.” Unlike Fedora Workstation, you won’t need to wait, after you restart, for Fedora to install your packages. Instead, Silverblue will simply start back up using the newer system image that you’ve just downloaded.

If you’ve been using Linux long enough, GNOME Software not working may not seem like much of an issue. You may already be accustomed to installing updates through the command line. This is not because it is the only or easiest way to install updates on Linux, but because the command line often does the job faster and with maximum information presented, showing exactly what updates you’re getting.

On Fedora Workstation, you can install updates with:

sudo dnf upgrade

However, this doesn’t work in Fedora Silverblue. Instead, you will need to use the command:

rpm-ostree upgrade

Notice that in Silverblue the command does not require sudo or administrator access. On Silverblue, you don’t need elevated permissions to upgrade your system or install software.

When the upgrade completes, the terminal displays a full list of upgraded packages in the new system image and a command you can run to restart your system, which you need to do before any of the downloaded updates will take effect.

How to Install Apps on Silverblue

At the first launch, GNOME Software will seem more lightly populated than usual. That’s because Fedora Silverblue does not provide all of the apps available as RPMs in the usual Fedora repository. Silverblue instead uses a separate Fedora repository of Flatpak apps known as the Fedora Container Registry. Various GNOME apps, games, and a few key productivity apps like LibreOffice are available, but there’s much to be desired.

To get more software, you will want to head to Flathub and follow the very simple setup instructions. This will greatly expand the apps that are available in GNOME Software.

To install apps from the terminal, you simply use the flatpak install command. Unlike DNF, you do not need to know the exact name of a package. Flatpak will generally guess what you’re looking for or present you with options if the answer isn’t clear.

If a program you want isn’t available as a Flatpak, you still have the option to install RPMs, but here is where things get tricky.

For apps you intend to use often, you will probably want to append them to your system image using the rpm-ostree install command. Follow this command up with the exact name of the DNF package you wish to install. You will need to restart your computer afterward. From then on, your system image will include these apps during upgrades. To remove software, including preinstalled apps like Firefox, use the rpm-ostree override remove command.

The alternative approach is to launch apps from the command line. These apps will not appear in your app drawer, nor will their icons appear on your dock. To go this route, you will need to become familiar with Toolbox.

Working in the Terminal

Fedora Silverblue comes with a terminal, and most of the commands you come across will still work. But if you want to add or remove packages, you will need to turn to a tool called Toolbox.

Toolbox creates containers, or isolated workspaces, where you can install all the packages you want without cluttering your system.

To create a toolbox, use:

toolbox create

Then type:

toolbox enter

Now you can use DNF and install any Fedora packages you wish. When you are done, type exit to exit Toolbox.

Note, Toolbox containers are not isolated in a security sense. Each has access to your home directory and other aspects of your computer. Do not treat them as safe ways to mess with sketchy software.

Managing App Permissions

The Flatpak format does come with some protections against sketchy or compromised software. While you can see some of this when you open System Settings and navigate to Applications, to really take control you need to install a program known as Flatseal.

With Flatseal, you can block apps from gaining access to the network or limit them to only view files in a specific folder on your hard drive, for example. This program is available for any Linux distribution, but since Fedora Silverblue goes all-in on Flatpak, this means you have this level of control over the majority of apps on your system.

Is Fedora Silverblue Ready for Primetime?

Yes, there is already a community of people using Fedora Silverblue as their primary distro. Apps are stable and, for the most part, it looks just like regular Fedora Linux. Once you learn Silverblue’s quirks, you may actually even find it easier to use than a traditional Linux distro.

Fedora Silverblue isn’t alone. If you find this concept exciting, know that there are a few other Linux distros that have also embraced Flatpak for all of their apps. More could be on the way.

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A stray cat was saved by a few awesome fans and an American flag at the Miami Hurricanes football game tonight, and you’ve just gotta watch the video to believe it.

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Movies and TV shows use a mix of practical, optical, and digital visual effects to simulate natural disasters. Insider compiled behind-the-scenes footage from eight movies where VFX pros brought storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other acts of Mother Nature’s fury to life.

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Collection::macro('insertBetweenEach', function ($value) {
    return $this->flatMap(fn ($item) => [$item, $value])->slice(0, -1);
});

collect([1, 2, 3])->insertBetweenEach(4)->dd();

[1, 4, 2, 4, 3]

// vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Macroable/Traits/Macroable.php

trait Macroable
{
    protected static array $macros = [];

    public static function macro(string $name, object|callable $macro): void
    {
        static::$macros[$name] = $macro;
    }
}

// vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Macroable/Traits/Macroable.php

trait Macroable
{
    protected static array $macros = [];

    public static function macro(string $name, object|callable $macro): void
    {
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            $macro = $macro->bindTo($this, static::class);
        }

        return $macro(...$parameters);
    }
}

// vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Macroable/Traits/Macroable.php

trait Macroable
{
    protected static array $macros = [];

    public static function macro(string $name, object|callable $macro): void
    {
        static::$macros[$name] = $macro;
    }
    
    public function __call(string $method, array $parameters): mixed
    {
        if (!isset(static::$macros[$method])) {
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        }

        $macro = static::$macros[$method];

        if ($macro instanceof Closure) {
            $macro = $macro->bindTo($this, static::class);
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        return $macro(...$parameters);
    }
  
    public static function __callStatic(string $method, array $parameters): mixed
    {
        if (!static::hasMacro($method)) {
            throw new BadMethodCallException(sprintf('Method %s::%s does not exist.', static::class, $method));
        }

        $macro = static::$macros[$method];

        if ($macro instanceof Closure) {
            $macro = $macro->bindTo(null, static::class);
        }

        return $macro(...$parameters);
    }
}

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name: Apply PHP Code Style

on:
    push:
        branches:
            - 'master'
    pull_request:
        paths:
            - '**.php'

jobs:
    php-cs-fixer:
        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
        steps:
            - uses: actions/[email protected]
              with:
                  ref: $

            - name: Install
              run: composer install

            - name: Run php-cs-fixer
              run: ./vendor/bin/php-cs-fixer fix

            - uses: stefanzweifel/[email protected]
              with:
                  commit_message: Apply php-cs-fixer changes

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https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1*CsfGKvl5-dSZ4K-tqZP18Q.pngLaravel Spark doesn’t offer a way to load stripe plans from the database, so here is my approach on how I achieved this without updating the source of Laravel Spark.Laravel News Links