DNSFilter launches LUMINATE to unify security under DNS

DNSFilter has launched LUMINATE, a DNS-first security platform that brings together five security suites under a single agent and console.

The platform combines filtering, behaviour analytics, AI governance and controls, encryption and privacy, and threat intelligence through DNS, which DNSFilter describes as the most upstream point in the security chain.

LUMINATE is aimed at organisations looking to reduce the number of separate security tools they use while extending oversight across employee devices, remote users, AI tools and connected equipment that may sit outside conventional endpoint coverage.

At the centre of the launch is the argument that security teams can stop attacks earlier by making decisions at the DNS lookup stage, before traffic reaches a user, device or network. In practice, that means the platform can block, allow or isolate traffic when a domain request is made.

The system is designed to cover devices that are often harder to manage with endpoint software, including unmanaged devices, Internet of Things equipment and operational technology. DNSFilter added that the platform can also be used in regulated environments for content compliance and to reduce unwanted traffic that consumes bandwidth.

Product scope

The platform is organised around five suites covering threat prevention, user activity visibility, AI governance, remote user protection and threat hunting.

DNSFilter said malicious domains can be stopped at lookup before payloads execute. It added that security teams can reconstruct user-to-activity timelines more quickly during incidents and identify anomalies that may point to compromised accounts.

The company also outlined a role for the product in software oversight, saying unsanctioned applications can be discovered and measured to give organisations a clearer view of shadow IT and unused software subscriptions.

AI governance forms a distinct part of the offer. DNSFilter said organisations can identify AI tools in use across the business and apply policy controls to them, while also treating autonomous agents as separate entities with their own rules. That, it said, allows teams to observe human and agent behaviour side by side and monitor agent-to-agent, agent-to-external and model context protocol connections.

For remote users, traffic can be encrypted on untrusted networks and governed by zero-trust policy at the DNS layer, according to the company. It added that compromised or non-compliant devices can be quarantined when needed, with the single agent intended to replace a collection of VPN and privacy tools.

Single engine

DNSFilter said the five suites run on one intelligence engine that scans 3 million domains every second and blocks more than 235 million threats each day across its global dual anycast network.

It added that its patent-pending domain generation algorithm tracking can identify algorithmically generated domains before they are used in attacks. The platform can also help teams assess exposure after a breach or advisory and identify compromised endpoints that other parts of the security stack may have missed.

Ken Carnesi, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of DNSFilter, said the launch builds on the company's long-standing focus on DNS as an early control point in cyber defence.

"For over a decade, DNSFilter has proven the fastest way to stop an attack is to stop it before it starts," said Carnesi. "Every connection begins with a DNS request, so that's where we end it: before the payload, before the breach, before it's a threat at all. What we protect from that vantage point has grown with our customers: AI tools, autonomous agents, remote workers, encrypted traffic. LUMINATE by DNSFilter brings all of it under one platform, without ever giving up the upstream position that got us here."

Kate Trojanowski, Vice President of Product and Engineering at DNSFilter, said the company had developed the platform as a single system rather than a series of separate products.

"We built one engine instead of five," said Trojanowski. "One agent, one console, one intelligence model. Every decision starts at DNS, and every outcome retrains the model. Customers start with the suite they need and add the next one whenever they're ready."

The launch also drew backing from partners and customers already using DNSFilter in managed security and channel settings.

"Stopping threats before they reach a user has been central to how we protect our clients, and DNSFilter has been a key part of that strategy. As AI and remote work expand the attack surface, having a trusted partner extending protection from that same upstream position gives us real confidence in what we deliver," said Rick Dupuis, Senior Manager, Technical Solutions at Mainstay Technologies.

Jessica Lindof, Regional Vice President at Climb, said the launch addressed pressure on customers to simplify crowded security stacks.

"Our partners tell us their customers are under real pressure to consolidate their security stacks without giving up protection, and DNSFilter has been a trusted partner in helping us meet that need. With LUMINATE by DNSFilter unifying multiple product suites under one agent and one console, our partners can bring their customers a simpler, more complete approach that starts at the DNS layer. We're excited to expand what we deliver together," said Lindof.