DNS4EU
DNS4EU is an EU Commission co-funded protective DNS initiative operated by Whalebone, offering GDPR-compliant DNS resolution with built-in threat filtering to EU citizens (free Public Service), governments (DNS4GOV), telecom operators (Aura Infrastructure), and enterprises (Whalebone Immunity), backed by a 13-member consortium spanning 10 EU countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersBrno, Czechia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What DNS4EU does
DNS4EU is a European Commission co-funded initiative (Project 101095329 21-EU-DIG-EU-DNS) that provides DNS resolution with built-in protective filtering for EU citizens, governments, and telecom operators. It is operated by Whalebone, s.r.o., a Czech cybersecurity company headquartered in Brno, under a consortium of 13 members from 10 EU countries including CZ.NIC, NASK, Czech Technical University, HUN-REN SZTAKI, DNSC, and Time.lex. The technical stack combines the open-source Knot Resolver (with DoS protection and DNSSEC validation), a Whalebone-developed real-time threat intelligence backend, a proprietary MISP instance for CERT/CSIRT data exchange, and machine learning models for phishing, malware, and C2 detection contributed by NASK and CTU. All infrastructure and query processing sits within EU jurisdiction to ensure GDPR compliance and EU data sovereignty.
The product portfolio is split into a free DNS4EU Public Service (five configurable resolver endpoints: Protective, Protective + Child Protection, Protective + Ad Blocking, full combination, and Unfiltered, each supporting DoH and DoT) and commercial offerings: DNS4GOV for government institutions and critical infrastructure, Aura Infrastructure for telecom operators, Whalebone Immunity for enterprise, and a Threat Intelligence Exchange for CERTs/CSIRTs/NCSCs. DNS4EU Public Service launched in June 2025 and has since blocked approximately 16 million malicious domains daily (over 70% malware), maintaining 100% uptime. Distribution combines self-serve website setup, native placement in Google Chrome (v144+), telecom operator integration via Aura, and dedicated enterprise field sales for government and critical-infrastructure accounts. Revenue is generated through subscription contracts for DNS4GOV and Whalebone Immunity; the public service is free to citizens and the initiative has transitioned from EU grant funding to a self-sustaining commercial ecosystem under Whalebone's operation.
DNS4EU firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DNS4EU
- Legal name
- DNS4EU
- Website
- https://joindns4.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- DNS4EU is an EU Commission co-funded protective DNS initiative operated by Whalebone, offering GDPR-compliant DNS resolution with built-in threat filtering to EU citizens (free Public Service), governments (DNS4GOV), telecom operators (Aura Infrastructure), and enterprises (Whalebone Immunity), backed by a 13-member consortium spanning 10 EU countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DNS4EU industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Protective DNS Security Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- DNS Security & Protective DNS (HDADABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- IP Address Management (IPAM) & DNS/DHCP Management (DDI) (HDAFAGAF), Resilient DNS, Traffic Management & Global Load Balancing (HDABAIAI)
Keywords
Where DNS4EU is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brno
- HQ country
- Czechia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DNS4EU business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- DNS4EU Public Service: Free DNS resolver service for EU citizens funded through European Commission co-funding (Project number: 101095329). The public service is provided at no cost to end users to promote digital sovereignty and cybersecurity across Europe.
- DNS4GOV Commercial Suite: Professional commercial DNS security solution provided by Whalebone for government institutions, public administration, and critical infrastructure. Revenue generated through licensing and service contracts with public sector entities requiring high-security DNS protection.
- Enterprise DNS Security (Whalebone Immunity): Managed DNS security product for enterprise organizations including manufacturing, utilities, transport, healthcare, and education sectors. Provides protective DNS services beyond the public offering with enhanced support and customization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Free | Protective Resolution - Blocks access to malicious domains (fraudulent/malicious content) |
| Freemium | Free | Protective + Child Protection - Blocks malicious content plus age-inappropriate websites (sexual content, violence, drugs) |
| Freemium | Free | Protective + Ad Blocking - Blocks malicious content plus advertisements on websites and in applications |
| Freemium | Free | Protective + Child Protection + Ad Blocking - Full protection with all features combined |
| Freemium | Free | Unfiltered Resolution - Fast, reliable, and anonymized resolution without content filtering |
| Subscription | Annual | DNS4GOV Commercial Suite for Governments |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
DNS4EU product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DNS4EU operates a Protective DNS (PDNS) resolver infrastructure that translates domain names to IP addresses while blocking malicious domains, phishing, malware, and command-and-control infrastructure. The offering is delivered through a free, GDPR-compliant Public Service for EU citizens with five configurable resolver options (Protective, Protective + Child Protection, Protective + Ad Blocking, full combo, and Unfiltered), plus the commercial DNS4GOV professional suite for governments and critical infrastructure, Aura Infrastructure for telecom operators, and a Threat Intelligence Exchange platform for CERTs and CSIRTs.
Product overview
DNS4EU is a European DNS security ecosystem operated by Whalebone, comprising a free Public Service for citizens and commercial offerings for governments and telecom providers. The Public Service provides five tiered resolver configurations (Protective Resolution, Protective + Child Protection, Protective + Ad Blocking, Protective + Child Protection + Ad Blocking, and Unfiltered Resolution) that block malicious domains, phishing, and malware while keeping data within EU borders and GDPR-compliant. The commercial arm includes DNS4GOV for government institutions and critical infrastructure, Aura Infrastructure for telecom operators, and a Threat Intelligence Exchange platform enabling real-time threat intelligence sharing across EU CERTs and CSIRTs via MISP. The consortium comprises 13 members from 10 EU countries including Whalebone (consortium leader), CZ.NIC, Czech Technical University, Timelex, deSEC, HUN-REN SZTAKI, ABILAB/CERTFin, NASK, and DNSC.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DNS4EU Public Service: Free, privacy-focused DNS resolver for European citizens offering protective resolution, child protection, and ad blocking options.
- DNS4GOV
Products and services
- DNS4EU Public Service Free, GDPR-compliant Protective DNS resolver service for EU citizens. Provides five configurable resolver options (Protective, Protective + Child Protection, Protective + Ad Blocking, full combination, and Unfiltered), supports IPv4/IPv6, DNS over HTTPS (DoH), and DNS over TLS (DoT), blocks malicious domains before they load, and keeps all DNS queries within EU infrastructure.
- DNS4GOV Professional commercial Protective DNS security suite for governments, public institutions, and critical infrastructure. Provides advanced threat protection against malware, phishing, and botnets at the DNS layer with GDPR-compliant operation, customizable policies, and scalable architecture. Offers cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid deployment options and Proof-of-Concept engagement programs.
- Aura Infrastructure (DNS4EU for Telcos) Embedded DNS security solution integrated directly into telecom operator networks, providing secure DNS services as part of Aura Infrastructure for telecommunications providers seeking carrier-level subscriber protection.
- Threat Intelligence Exchange Platform for sharing and coordinating cyber threats between consortium partners, CERTs, CSIRTs, and NCSCs. Operates a DNS4EU MISP instance enabling secure, real-time propagation of indicators of compromise to all DNS4EU resolvers across the EU.
Quantifiable outcome
- 16 million malicious domains blocked daily
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use DNS4EU
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
DNS4EU technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability3 records
Feature8 records
DNS4EU partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WhalebonecoreConsortium leader and operator of DNS4EU services. Czech cybersecurity company founded in 2016 in Brno, protecting millions of users worldwide through telcos, ISPs, and enterprise networks. Develops threat intelligence backend, coordinates consortium activities, and manages DNS4GOV commercial offerings.
- CZ.NICcoreInterest association of legal entities operating the .CZ domain registry and developing Knot Resolver - modern open-source DNS recursive server with unique scaling architecture. Contributes DoS protection features and DNSSEC validation capabilities to DNS4EU.
- Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU)coreContributes machine learning and cybersecurity expertise through Stratosphere Laboratory (AI Center). Develops detection algorithms for malicious DNS activity, focusing on malware and command-and-control detection. Researches methods to reduce false positives.
- TimelexcoreBrussels-based boutique law firm specializing in IT law, privacy, data protection, and electronic communications. Provides legal framework assessment, data protection compliance, and cybersecurity legal guidance for DNS4EU.
- deSECcoreNot-for-profit DNS security provider focusing on advancing DNS security posture. Contributes expertise on DNSSEC, privacy and security issues. Leads post-quantum DNSSEC research and evaluation for DNS4EU.
- HUN-REN SZTAKI / HunCERTcoreHungarian research institute and sectoral CERT providing security design advisory, threat intelligence, and vulnerability management. Contributes advisory role on data security, access control, and security audit preparation.
- CERTFin (ABILAB)coreItalian financial sector CERT providing DNS cyber threat intelligence. Contributes to collection, analysis, and sharing of information related to malicious domains and DNS queries associated with cyber threats.
- NASKcorePolish research institute operating CERT Polska and .pl domain registry. Develops machine learning models detecting phishing domains through newly registered domain monitoring and anonymized DNS request data analysis.
- DNSC (Romanian National Cyber Security Directorate)coreRomanian national cybersecurity authority providing lawful filtering compliance tools, user-friendly setup guides, and CSIRTs Network collaboration. Assesses operational security requirements and develops automated tools for regulatory compliance.
- F-SECUREminorFinnish cybersecurity company providing consultation and sharing know-how with the consortium.
- CESNETminorCzech research and academic network providing consultation and technical expertise to the consortium.
- Ministry of Electronic Governance (Bulgaria)minorBulgarian government ministry providing consultation on electronic governance and digital policy aspects.
- Centro Nacional de Ciberseguranca (Portugal)minorPortuguese National Cybersecurity Center providing consultation and national cybersecurity perspective to the consortium.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
DNS4EU competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AdGuard DNS: AdGuard DNS is a privacy-focused recursive DNS service offering ad-blocking and security modes. It overlaps directly with DNS4EU's Public Service options (protective, child protection, ad blocking) and competes for the same European privacy-conscious user base.
- CleanBrowsing: CleanBrowsing is a privacy-focused DNS resolver offering security, adult content filtering, and custom filtering profiles. It competes in the same niche as DNS4EU's free Public Service, particularly for families and educational institutions.
- DNSFilter: DNSFilter offers a cloud-native protective DNS platform with AI-driven threat detection, content filtering, and MSP/partner channels. It targets a similar mid-market and enterprise customer base as DNS4GOV with comparable subscription pricing models.
- NextDNS: NextDNS provides a configurable privacy-focused DNS service with content filtering, threat protection, and per-device policies. It is a direct competitor in both the consumer free/paid tier market and the small-business PDNS segment overlapping with DNS4EU's offering.
- Cisco Umbrella (OpenDNS): Cisco Umbrella, formerly OpenDNS, provides enterprise-grade protective DNS with threat intelligence, policy controls, and integration into Cisco's broader security stack. It is the most established commercial PDNS competitor to DNS4GOV, particularly for government and enterprise segments.
- Quad9: Quad9 is a non-profit, privacy-focused recursive DNS service that blocks malicious domains using threat intelligence from multiple sources. It is the closest direct comparator to DNS4EU's free protective DNS offering, with similar non-profit/government-backed positioning (Swiss foundation) and privacy-first philosophy.
- Whalebone (Immunity / Aura): Whalebone is the Czech cybersecurity company operating DNS4EU and selling Immunity (enterprise PDNS) and Aura (telco-embedded PDNS). While the operating entity behind DNS4EU, Whalebone Immunity is also a direct commercial competitor in the enterprise protective DNS market, particularly across CEE.
Broad incumbents
- Google Public DNS: Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8) is the default DNS resolver used by a large share of European internet users. While not marketed as protective DNS, its ubiquity, performance, and ecosystem integrations make it the dominant alternative that DNS4EU must displace at the consumer layer.
- Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 with Malware Blocking): Cloudflare operates the widely-used 1.1.1.1 public DNS resolver with optional malware and adult content filtering. While part of a much broader CDN/security portfolio, it is the most-recognized global free PDNS alternative competing directly with DNS4EU Public Service.
- F-Secure (WithSecure): F-Secure (now WithSecure) is a Finnish cybersecurity incumbent and DNS4EU consortium associated partner. It offers endpoint and network security including DNS-layer protection, and is an indirect peer as a broader European cybersecurity suite competing for similar government and enterprise security budgets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
DNS4EU social profiles
Digital presenceDNS4EU financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DNS4EU leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
DNS4EU funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DNS4EU M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DNS4EU
What does DNS4EU do?
DNS4EU operates a Protective DNS (PDNS) resolver infrastructure that translates domain names to IP addresses while blocking malicious domains, phishing, malware, and command-and-control infrastructure. The offering is delivered through a free, GDPR-compliant Public Service for EU citizens with five configurable resolver options (Protective, Protective + Child Protection, Protective + Ad Blocking, full combo, and Unfiltered), plus the commercial DNS4GOV professional suite for governments and critical infrastructure, Aura Infrastructure for telecom operators, and a Threat Intelligence Exchange platform for CERTs and CSIRTs.
Is DNS4EU a public or private company?
DNS4EU is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was DNS4EU founded?
DNS4EU was founded in 2023. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is DNS4EU based?
DNS4EU is headquartered in Brno, Czechia, in the Europe region.
How does DNS4EU make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. DNS4EU Public Service is the primary driver. The others are DNS4GOV Commercial Suite and enterprise DNS Security (Whalebone Immunity).
Who are DNS4EU's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AdGuard DNS, CleanBrowsing, DNSFilter, NextDNS, Cisco Umbrella (OpenDNS), Quad9 and Whalebone (Immunity / Aura). Broad incumbents are Google Public DNS, Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 with Malware Blocking) and F-Secure (WithSecure).
Does DNS4EU have an API?
No public API is recorded for DNS4EU.
What industry is DNS4EU in?
DNS4EU's product category is Protective DNS Security Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDADABAF, DNS Security & Protective DNS, with a secondary code of HDAFAGAF, IP Address Management (IPAM) & DNS/DHCP Management (DDI).