Attack Spotlight: Multi-vector DDoS Attacks
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www.prolexic. com Attack Spotlight: Multi-Vector DDoS Attacks An attack against a global financial firm
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Multi-vector DDoS attack campaigns make DDoS mitigation more difficult and make it less likely the attack can be blocked with automated devices. In this slideshow, we examine a Q4 2013 DDoS attack that involved a dozen attack vectors, and explain how we fought back.
Transcript of Attack Spotlight: Multi-vector DDoS Attacks
www.prolexic.com
Attack Spotlight: Multi-Vector DDoS Attacks
An attack against a global financial firm
www.prolexic.com2
Key facts about the DDoS attack
• Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack mitigated by Prolexic in Q4 2013
• Targeted a global financial organization• Multi-vector attack• Well-orchestrated and sophisticated attack• Four days and nights• Multiple botnets• Attack signatures and methods changed throughout the
campaign• Mobile phones played a pivotal role
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Asian botnets played a key role in the Attack
• Main source countries– Indonesia– China– U.S. – Mexico
• Source was hidden behind a super proxy– Legitimate users may use a super proxy for privacy– Increases mitigation challenge to avoid blocking
uninvolved users of the super proxy
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It was a massive multi-vector attack
• At least 12 different attacks– Network layer (Layer 3)– Application layer (Layer 7)– Use of mobile phones– Hacktivist message
• Multi-vector attacks are more likely to bypass automated DDoS mitigation devices
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Real-time human expertise was needed to block the campaign
• To block the attack, Prolexic combined– Advanced DDoS mitigation technology– Skilled DDoS mitigation experts
• Experts monitored and responded to the attack in real-time
• When the attack changed, the mitigation method had to change
• Experts crafted a response to block every new attack
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Attack components: Low Orbit Ion Cannon (LOIC)
• Supporters download the tool and opt-in to lend their computing resources
• Members of the Anonymous cooperative control participating devices
• Controlled via– Internet relay chat (IRC) – URL shortening services, such as Bit.ly
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Attack components: Mobile phones
• New DDoS trend• 6.8 million mobile devices worldwide• More than half the world’s mobile users are in Asia– China– India
• Mobile devices– Are vulnerable to malware – May become part of a botnet unwittingly– May be deliberately used by downloading a mobile
DDoS apps
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Attack components: Mobile phones, continued
• Easy-to-use mobile DoS apps are available for download
• AnDOSid– Android app– Produces POST floods
• Mobile LOIC– Android app– Available from mainstream app
store in December 2013
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Prolexic Q4 2013 Global Attack Report
• Download the Q4 2013 Global Attack Report for:– More details about this attack– Attack signatures used– DDoS attack trends– Year-over-year and quarter-by-quarter comparisons– Types of attacks used– Network protocols at risk for abuse by attackers– Industries targeted– Details about real attacks mitigated by Prolexic– Case study about the Asian DDoS threat
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About Prolexic
• Prolexic Technologies is the world’s largest and most trusted provider of DDoS protection and mitigation services
• Prolexic has successfully stopped DDoS attacks for more than a decade
• Our global DDoS mitigation network and 24/7 security operations center (SOC) can stop even the largest attacks that exceed the capabilities of other DDoS mitigation service providers
