NCSC Protective DNS review
A free protective DNS service with roaming coverage, logs and SIEM connectors.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
NCSC Protective DNS is a free recursive DNS resolver for eligible organisations, primarily in the UK public sector. It blocks access to domains associated with malware, ransomware, phishing, viruses, spyware and other malicious activity. The service can also block malware communication, helping organisations contain active threats through DNS-level protection. Its audience includes public-sector organisations, with UK registered social housing providers and arms-length management organisations listed as pilot users.
The service fits organisations that need security visibility alongside domain blocking. It provides network-health metrics, a dashboard and data logs, while PDNS block data can be sent to SIEM tools. Connectors are available for Microsoft Sentinel and Splunk, giving security teams a route to incorporate protective DNS events into existing monitoring workflows. For devices outside office networks, PDNS Roaming extends coverage to Windows, macOS and iOS through encrypted DNS over HTTPS.
NCSC Protective DNS has a broad malicious-domain protection scope, but its focus is protective DNS rather than policy customisation. Organisations looking for a free service to block known harmful domains and review network activity may find its combination of filtering, logging, roaming and SIEM connectivity appropriate. It is less suitable for teams that need custom filtering controls or eligibility outside its primarily UK public-sector audience. The published service model is free and centrally funded, so there are no paid tiers to compare.
NCSC Protective DNS pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Blocks malware, ransomware, phishing, viruses and spyware domains
- Provides dashboards, network-health metrics and DNS block logs
- Supports roaming protection with encrypted DNS over HTTPS
- Where it doesn't
- Eligibility is primarily for UK public-sector organisations
- Custom filtering controls are not provided
- Roaming support is limited to Windows, macOS and iOS
NCSC Protective DNS fact sheet, pricing and score →
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