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CERT Finds Routers Increasingly Being Cracked

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the look-at-the-fancy-new-security-icon dept.

alteran writes "CERT has released a paper (PDF) analyzing changes in DOS attack methods. The new twist-- crackers are increasing getting into routers rather then servers and home PCs. The volume of noise a router could generate absolutely dwarfs what a computer could do. And unlike compromised servers, compromised routers could actually screw up the infrastructure of the Internet, not just blast people with packets. Worst of all, router administators appear to be even sloppier than their server counterparts in securing their machines."

3 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. who are these people by oni · · Score: 4, Interesting

    from the article:
    Intruders had to work hard to deploy large DDoS attacks networks; much
    work was done     to avoid detection and compromise of deployed attack
    networks and to provide for easier maintenance.

    OK, here's the dumb question: Who is working so hard? Kids on IRC???

  2. What if we don't own the routers? by Mr.+Sketch · · Score: 4, Interesting

    We don't actually administer our routers? Our company has some contract through UUnet and the router is actually property of UUnet we don't even have the password to get in and administer it. So if it's comprimised, the blame should be placed on UUnet even though the traffic will look like it's coming from our company.

    --
    Things you think are in the Constitution, but are not.
  3. Slightly OT but... by Lostman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I would think that although major routers being hacked could stall the internet, the real threat STILL exists with computer viruses... at least the real threat economically...

    For one, a business can still operate if the network goes down.. that isnt THAT big an issue... ("Sorry fellows, we wont be sending you home just b/c are network is down"), but if the computers that are being operated/worked on could be sending out data and proprietary information... well.. :)

    Also, for home users... the kind who trust the benevolence of the economic cookie.. you know which ones: "Save my credit card information" on amazon/barnesandnobles checked, along with "Save login information in a cookie" always selected... all that has to be done is to buy up 5-6 items and send to dummy addresses (random ones) before the normal computer user REALLY cares about viruses.. which makes me ask--> why hasnt it happened before? Why hasnt a major virus (code red and nimda anyone?) made purchases after the computer has gone idle for K minutes using the cookies stored on there?

    Anyways, I may be wrong..