CERT Finds Routers Increasingly Being Cracked

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."

Comments

who are these people

[oni]

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???

What if we don't own the routers?

[Mr. Sketch]

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.