Finding: DNS Resolution Failed
This finding means Nivaronix could not resolve your domain to an IP address at all. Nothing downstream of resolution — headers, certificate, SPF/DMARC — could be checked, because the scan never reached your server.
Last updated August 11, 2026.
What it means
A DNS lookup for your hostname returned no answer — not an empty answer, but a failure to resolve at all (the operating-system equivalent of "this name does not exist" or "no nameserver would answer"). If a visitor's browser hit the same failure, your site would not load for them either.
Why it matters
A domain that does not resolve is unreachable, full stop — this is usually the most urgent finding on a scan when it appears. Common causes include a missing or deleted A/AAAA record, nameservers that were changed at the registrar without the new DNS zone being populated, a domain registration that has lapsed, or a typo in the hostname itself.
What Nivaronix checks
Nivaronix attempts to resolve your hostname to an IP address as the first step of a scan. This finding fires when that lookup fails outright, and the underlying error is included as evidence.
Example evidence (illustrative — not live scan data)
Hostname: example.com Unable to resolve domain: [Errno -2] Name or service not known
How to fix it
- Confirm the domain itself is still registered and not expired, at your registrar.
- Confirm the domain's nameservers at the registrar point to the DNS provider you actually manage records with.
- At that DNS provider, confirm an A record (and AAAA, if you use IPv6) exists for the hostname and points to a real server IP.
- If you changed nameservers or DNS providers recently, allow time for propagation before assuming the fix hasn't taken effect.
How to verify the fix
Re-run the DNS security checker and confirm it now resolves your domain to an IP address.