No internet in Ubuntu 22.04, editing /etc/resolv.conf brings back internet, but is this method secure?

In my Ubuntu 22.04 suddenly I have no internet. Although WiFi is connected. I came across this solution in a youtube video. I edited my resolv.conf file as follows:

#nameserver ::1
#nameserver 127.0.0.1
nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

And now I have internet. I want to know whether by following this method my system is secure or not?

Also why do I have to edit /etc/resolv.conf to bring back internet

The result of my ls -al /etc/resolv.conf is -

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 975 May 23 16:27 /etc/resolv.conf

Editing resolv.conf wont give you internet access if you don't already have it, but this edit can fix a very specific problem.

This file controls hostname resolution using DNS. If your computer is configured to use a DNS server (or is configured via DHCP or something) and that server is broken, then this helps.

Specifically, the first two lines (which are commented out and disabled) use a local DNS server that is presumably configured to talk to an upstream DNS server.

The next two lines configure the system to instead use Google's DNS servers (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4). It is a matter of opinion (out of scope here and not enough info even if it wasn't) if this makes your system less secure or more secure than whatever unknown default DNS servers your system would otherwise use.

Also note (as mentioned in the other more Ubuntu specific answer) that editing this file may disable automatic DNS network configuration and/or may be stepped on by automatic network configuration.

Editing the /etc/resolv.conf file to add DNS server information can be a temporary workaround to restore internet connectivity in certain situations.

However, it is not considered a secure or reliable long-term solution. Here's why:

Dynamic DNS Configuration: In modern Ubuntu versions, including Ubuntu 22.04, the /etc/resolv.conf file is dynamically generated by the system based on network configuration settings. Modifying this file manually may lead to conflicts or being overwritten by network manager services, DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), or other network management tools.

Network Manager: Ubuntu uses Network Manager as the default network management tool, which dynamically manages network connections, including DNS configuration. Network Manager handles DNS resolution by utilizing the DNS server settings obtained from DHCP or other network configuration sources. By manually editing /etc/resolv.conf, you may interfere with Network Manager's functionality and cause unexpected behavior.

Security Considerations: The /etc/resolv.conf file can contain sensitive information, such as DNS server addresses or search domains. By modifying it manually, you might introduce security risks or expose your system to potential attacks. Additionally, your changes might be lost or overwritten during system updates or network reconfigurations.

To ensure secure and reliable DNS configuration in Ubuntu, it is recommended to use the standard network configuration tools provided by the operating system. Here are some alternatives:

Network Manager Configuration: Use the Network Manager GUI or command-line tools (e.g., nmcli) to configure DNS settings. This allows Network Manager to manage DNS configuration properly and ensure consistency.

systemd-resolved: Ubuntu 22.04 and newer versions utilize systemd-resolved as the DNS resolver by default. You can configure DNS settings using the systemd-resolve command or by modifying the appropriate configuration files under /etc/systemd/resolved.conf.d/.

DHCP Configuration: If you are obtaining network configuration information from a DHCP server, ensure that the DHCP server is correctly configured to provide the appropriate DNS server addresses. This way, your system will automatically receive the correct DNS settings without manual intervention.

By relying on the standard network configuration tools, you can ensure that your DNS configuration remains consistent, secure, and compatible with system updates and network management services.

The file /etc/resolv.conf is intended to be a symbolic link to /run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf Check:

ls -al /etc/resolv.conf

If it is not, correct it:

sudo rm /etc/resolv.conf
sudo ln -s /run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf  /etc/resolv.conf

My /etc/resolv.conf starts off with:

# This is /run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf managed by man:systemd-resolved(8).
# Do not edit.
#
# This file might be symlinked as /etc/resolv.conf. If you're looking at
# /etc/resolv.conf and seeing this text, you have followed the symlink.

Crucially, it also contains this:

nameserver 127.0.0.53

that is the address the systemd resolver is listening on.

As previously mentioned, you might need to fix the symlink. This issue may have been caused a dist-upgrade with a modified /etc/resolv.conf causing the update to this file to be skipped.

For a Desktop, typically, netplan also contains a stub configuration:

/etc/netplan/01-network-manager-all.yaml

# Let NetworkManager manage all devices on this system
network:
  version: 2
  renderer: NetworkManager

With these two things in place, the correct DNS settings can be applied via the Network Manager.

Finally, if you are using DHCP, check that your DHCP server is actually serving up a working DNS. You can test this by overriding the DHCP server's DNS config by selecting IPv4->Method->Automatic (Address Only). That setting is for DHCP but with manual DNS. An simpler test would be - do other devices work correctly with this Wifi link?