diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 83b7b2811fbd..768eb09b0144 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -53,3 +53,5 @@ group :test do
   gem 'timecop'
 end
 
+# remove after https://github.com/rapid7/rex-socket/pull/65 is landed
+gem 'rex-socket', git: 'https://github.com/zeroSteiner/rex-socket', branch: 'feat/util-is-name'
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 748516bd4b07..a203ed83eac9 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+GIT
+  remote: https://github.com/zeroSteiner/rex-socket
+  revision: 764718bf3dd397c0a5ecc41ee0874d826e9c9144
+  branch: feat/util-is-name
+  specs:
+    rex-socket (0.1.56)
+      rex-core
+
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
@@ -419,8 +427,6 @@ GEM
       metasm
       rex-core
       rex-text
-    rex-socket (0.1.55)
-      rex-core
     rex-sslscan (0.1.10)
       rex-core
       rex-socket
@@ -562,6 +568,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   pry-byebug
   rake
   redcarpet
+  rex-socket!
   rspec-rails
   rspec-rerun
   rubocop
diff --git a/lib/msf/ui/console/command_dispatcher/dns.rb b/lib/msf/ui/console/command_dispatcher/dns.rb
index bca88d4ee6c9..89db88e7d584 100755
--- a/lib/msf/ui/console/command_dispatcher/dns.rb
+++ b/lib/msf/ui/console/command_dispatcher/dns.rb
@@ -338,11 +338,16 @@ def add_static_dns(*args)
     end
 
     hostname = args.shift
-    if (ip_address = args.find { |a| !Rex::Socket.is_ip_addr?(a) })
+    if !Rex::Proto::DNS::StaticHostnames.is_valid_hostname?(hostname)
+      raise ::ArgumentError.new("Invalid hostname: #{hostname}")
+    end
+
+    ip_addresses = args
+    if (ip_address = ip_addresses.find { |a| !Rex::Socket.is_ip_addr?(a) })
       raise ::ArgumentError.new("Invalid IP address: #{ip_address}")
     end
 
-    args.each do |ip_address|
+    ip_addresses.each do |ip_address|
       resolver.static_hostnames.add(hostname, ip_address)
       print_status("Added static hostname mapping #{hostname} to #{ip_address}")
     end
@@ -482,8 +487,11 @@ def remove_static_dns(*args)
     end
 
     hostname = args.shift
-    ip_addresses = args
+    if !Rex::Proto::DNS::StaticHostnames.is_valid_hostname?(hostname)
+      raise ::ArgumentError.new("Invalid hostname: #{hostname}")
+    end
 
+    ip_addresses = args
     if ip_addresses.empty?
       ip_addresses = resolver.static_hostnames.get(hostname, Dnsruby::Types::A) + resolver.static_hostnames.get(hostname, Dnsruby::Types::AAAA)
       if ip_addresses.empty?
diff --git a/lib/rex/proto/dns/static_hostnames.rb b/lib/rex/proto/dns/static_hostnames.rb
index cce09e171e77..4b43771b616b 100644
--- a/lib/rex/proto/dns/static_hostnames.rb
+++ b/lib/rex/proto/dns/static_hostnames.rb
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def get1(hostname, type = Dnsruby::Types::A)
     # @rtype [Array<IPAddr>]
     def get(hostname, type = Dnsruby::Types::A)
       hostname = hostname.downcase
-      @hostnames.fetch(hostname, {}).fetch(type, [])
+      @hostnames.fetch(hostname, {}).fetch(type, []).dup
     end
 
     # Add an IP address for the specified hostname.
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ def get(hostname, type = Dnsruby::Types::A)
     # @param [IPAddr, String] ip_address The IP address that is being defined for the hostname. If this value is a
     #   string, it will be converted to an IPAddr instance.
     def add(hostname, ip_address)
+      unless self.class.is_valid_hostname?(hostname)
+        # it is important to validate the hostname because assumptions about what characters it may contain are made
+        # when saving and loading it from the configuration
+        raise ::ArgumentError.new("Invalid hostname: #{hostname}")
+      end
+
       ip_address = IPAddr.new(ip_address) if ip_address.is_a?(String) && Rex::Socket.is_ip_addr?(ip_address)
 
       hostname = hostname.downcase
@@ -129,6 +135,16 @@ def delete(hostname, ip_address)
     def flush
       @hostnames.clear
     end
+
+    def self.is_valid_hostname?(name)
+      # check if it appears to be a fully qualified domain name, e.g. www.metasploit.com
+      return true if Rex::Socket.is_name?(name)
+
+      # check if it appears to at least be a valid hostname, e.g. localhost
+      return true if (name =~ /^([a-z0-9][a-z0-9\-]{0,61})?[a-z0-9]$/i) && (name =~ /\s/).nil?
+
+      false
+    end
   end
 end
 end