Overview
At this level, administrators move from simple visibility to data-driven decision making. By studying Blackhole’s metrics over time, you can identify recurring risks, uncover behavioral trends, and refine filtering policies to reduce both threats and unnecessary disruptions.
Trend analysis provides a deeper understanding of how users and devices interact with the internet and how your network’s defenses are performing.
Tracking DNS Activity Over Time
Scout automatically collects and aggregates DNS activity into visual metrics within the dashboard. These cards are especially useful for trend analysis:
- Blocked Domains: Shows total blocked requests over time
- Top Blocked Domains: Identifies which sites trigger filters most frequently
- Threats Detected vs Blocked: Measures your network’s prevention effectiveness
- Active Incidents: Reveals when blocked activity escalates into real threats
Use these metrics to detect shifts in user behavior or threat exposure. For example, a sudden spike in blocked ad domains might suggest a new tracking campaign or compromised browser extension spreading through the environment.
Identifying Behavioral Patterns
Trend data tells a story about how your users and devices operate. Look for patterns such as:
- Repeated access attempts to blocked sites (may indicate phishing or compromised endpoints)
- Certain times of day or week with increased malicious traffic
- Specific domains that frequently appear across different devices
- Users or locations generating high volumes of blocked requests
Correlating this information helps administrators target root causes, such as misconfigured apps or outdated software making unsafe requests.
Refining Security Policies
With trend insights in hand, refine your DNS filtering rules to strengthen security posture and reduce noise. Consider:
- Permanently blocking recurring suspicious domains that evade other filters
- Adjusting access policies to reflect legitimate business needs
- Combining DNS insights with Sentry data to correlate blocked traffic with intrusion attempts
Regular policy tuning based on real trends helps you maintain protection that adapts to user behavior and evolving threats.
Using Data for Continuous Improvement
Trend analysis also supports operational and business decisions. For example:
- Evaluating whether marketing tools or partner integrations rely on third-party trackers
- Measuring the success of security awareness campaigns through reduced risky traffic
- Demonstrating security performance improvements over time
These insights turn raw DNS logs into actionable intelligence that improves both technology and process maturity.
Maturity Progress
Reaching Level 3 — Control 🟠 means you’re using data, not just defaults, to guide decisions. Your Blackhole deployment is now an active part of your security management process, giving you a proactive view of threats and the confidence to make informed policy changes.