Hi there,
The numbers you're mentioning, 1.1.1.1, 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4, refer to Public DNS resolvers. They translate easy-to-remember domain names (like
www.google.com) into the IP addresses that computers understand and use to communicate with each other over the internet.
The numbers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 are the addresses for Google's Public DNS service. The number 1.1.1.1 is the address for Cloudflare's Public DNS service.
Now, when you're talking about the "security" of these services, it generally refers to their privacy and performance characteristics:
1. **Privacy**: Both Google and Cloudflare claim they refrain from storing personally identifiable information. However, Google's DNS logs data for around 24-48 hours, while Cloudflare pledges to erase all logs after 24 hours. Furthermore, Cloudflare has pledged never to use DNS browsing data to target ads.
2. **Performance**: Cloudflare's DNS service, 1.1.1.1, is often deemed one of the fastest services around, sometimes even outperforming Google's Public DNS. The performance mainly depends on your location and the relative proximity to Cloudflare's data centers.
3. **Security**: Both Google and Cloudflare offer features intended to enhance the security of your browsing. They include things like DNSSEC, which helps protect against certain types of cyberattacks. Cloudflare also introduced a feature called "malware filtering", which helps prevent you from accessing known malicious websites.
In conclusion, both services are secure, but their level of privacy and performance may vary, and Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 service is often deemed faster and arguably more private.
I recommend that you give both a try and see which one works best for you. You can easily switch back if you notice any issues. You might want to perform a speed test before and after you switch to see if there's a notable difference in your internet speed.