Hands-On Ethical

Hacking and Network

Defense
Chapter 3
Network and Computer Attacks
 Objectives
Describe the different types of malicious
software
Describe methods of protecting against
malware attacks
Describe the types of network attacks
Identify physical security attacks and
vulnerabilities

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Malicious Software (Malware)

Network attacks prevent a business from

operating
Malicious software (Malware) includes
◼ Virus
◼ Worms
◼ Trojan horses
Goals
◼ Destroy data
◼ Corrupt data
◼ Shutdown a network or system 3
 Viruses

Virus attaches itself to an executable file

Can replicate itself through an executable
program
◼ Needs a host program to replicate
No foolproof method of preventing them

4
 Antivirus Software
Detects and removes viruses
Detection based on virus signatures
Must update signature database periodically
Use automatic update feature

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 Base 64 Encoding

Used to evade anti-spam tools, and to

obscure passwords
Encodes six bits at a time (0 – 64) with a
single ASCII character
◼ A - Z: 0 – 25
◼ a – z: 26 – 51
◼ 1 – 9: 52 – 61
◼ + and - 62 and 63
See links Ch 3a, 3b
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 Viruses (continued)

Commercial base 64 decoders

Shell
◼ Executable piece of programming code
◼ Should not appear in an e-mail attachment

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 Macro Viruses
Virus encoded as a macro
Macro
◼ Lists of commands
◼ Can be used in destructive ways
Example: Melissa
◼ Appeared in 1999
◼ It is very simple – see link Ch 3c for source
code

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Writing Viruses
Even nonprogrammers
can create macro viruses
◼ Instructions posted on

Web sites
◼ Virus creation kits available for

download (see link Ch 3d)

Security professionals can learn
from thinking like attackers
◼ But don’t create and release a virus!
People get long prison terms for that.
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 Worms
Worm
◼ Replicates and propagates without a host
Infamous examples
◼ Code Red
◼ Nimda
Can infect every computer in the world in a
short time
◼ At least in theory

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 ATM Machine Worms
◼ Cyberattacks against ATM machines
◼ Slammer and Nachi worms
◼ Trend produces antivirus for ATM machines
See links Ch 3g, 3h, 3i
◼ Nachi was written to clean up damage caused
by the Blaster worm, but it got out of control
See link Ch 3j
◼ Diebold was criticized for using Windows for
ATM machines, which they also use on voting
machines
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 Trojan Programs
Insidious attack against networks
Disguise themselves as useful programs
◼ Hide malicious content in program
Backdoors
Rootkits
◼ Allow attackers remote access

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 Firewalls
Identify traffic on uncommon ports
Can block this type of attack, if your
firewall filters outgoing traffic
◼ Windows XP SP2’s firewall does not filter
outgoing traffic
◼ Vista’s firewall doesn’t either (by default),
according to link Ch 3l and 3m
Trojan programs can use known ports to
get through firewalls
◼ HTTP (TCP 80) or DNS (UDP 53)
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 Trojan Demonstration
Make a file with
command-line Windows
commands
Save it as
C:\Documents and Settings\
username\cmd.bat
Start, Run, CMD will execute this file
instead of
C:\Windows\System32\Cmd.exe

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 Improved Trojan

Resets the administrator password

Almost invisible to user
Works in Win XP, but not so easy in Vista
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 Spyware
Sends information from the infected computer to
the attacker
◼ Confidential financial data
◼ Passwords
◼ PINs
◼ Any other stored data
Can register each keystroke entered (keylogger)
Prevalent technology
Educate users about spyware

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Deceptive Dialog Box

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 Adware
Similar to spyware
◼ Can be installed without the user being aware
Sometimes displays a banner
Main goal
◼ Determine user’s online purchasing habits
◼ Tailored advertisement
Main problem
◼ Slows down computers

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 Protecting Against Malware
Attacks
Difficult task
New viruses, worms, Trojan programs
appear daily
Antivirus programs offer a lot of protection
Educate your users about these types of
attacks

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 Educating Your Users
Structural training
◼ Most effective measure
◼ Includes all employees and management
E-mail monthly security updates
◼ Simple but effective training method
Update virus signature database
automatically

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 Educating Your Users
SpyBot and Ad-Aware
◼ Help protect against spyware and adware
◼ Windows Defender is excellent too
Firewalls
◼ Hardware (enterprise solution)
◼ Software (personal solution)
◼ Can be combined
Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
◼ Monitors your network 24/7

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 FUD
Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt
◼ Avoid scaring users into complying with security
measures
◼ Sometimes used by unethical security testers
◼ Against the OSSTMM’s Rules of Engagement
Promote awareness rather than instilling
fear
◼ Users should be aware of potential threats
◼ Build on users’ knowledge
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 Intruder Attacks on Networks
and Computers
Attack
◼ Any attempt by an unauthorized person to access or
use network resources
Network security
◼ Security of computers and other devices in a network
Computer security
◼ Securing a standalone computer--not part of a network
infrastructure
Computer crime
◼ Fastest growing type of crime worldwide
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 Denial-of-Service Attacks
Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack
◼ Prevents legitimate users from accessing
network resources
◼ Some forms do not involve computers, like
feeding a paper loop through a fax machine
DoS attacks do not attempt to access
information
◼ Cripple the network
◼ Make it vulnerable to other type of attacks
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Testing for DoS Vulnerabilities
Performing an attack yourself is not wise
◼ You only need to prove that an attack could
be carried out

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Distributed Denial-of-Service
Attacks
Attack on a host from multiple servers or
workstations
Network could be flooded with billions of
requests
◼ Loss of bandwidth
◼ Degradation or loss of speed
Often participants are not aware they are
part of the attack
◼ Attacking computers could be controlled using
Trojan programs 32
 Buffer Overflow Attacks
Vulnerability in poorly written code
◼ Code does not check predefined size of input
field
Goal
◼ Fill overflow buffer with executable code
◼ OS executes this code
◼ Can elevate attacker’s permission to
Administrator or even Kernel
Programmers need special training to
write secure code 33
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 Ping of Death Attacks
Type of DoS attack
Not as common as during the late 1990s
How it works
◼ Attacker creates a large ICMP packet
More than 65,535 bytes
◼ Large packet is fragmented at source network
◼ Destination network reassembles large packet
◼ Destination point cannot handle oversize packet and
crashes
◼ Modern systems are protected from this (Link Ch 3n)
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 Session Hijacking
Enables attacker to join a TCP session
Attacker makes both parties think he or
she is the other party

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Addressing Physical Security
Protecting a network also requires
physical security
Inside attacks are more likely than attacks
from outside the company

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 Keyloggers
Used to capture keystrokes on a computer
◼ Hardware
◼ Software
Software
◼ Behaves like Trojan programs
Hardware
◼ Easy to install
◼ Goes between the keyboard and the CPU
◼ KeyKatcher and KeyGhost
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 Keyloggers (continued)
Protection
◼ Software-based
Antivirus
◼ Hardware-based
Random visual tests
Look for added hardware
Superglue keyboard connectors in

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 Behind Locked Doors
Lock up your servers
◼ Physical access means they can hack in
◼ Consider Ophcrack – booting to a CD-based
OS will bypass almost any security

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 Lockpicking
Average person can pick deadbolt locks in
less than five minutes
◼ After only a week or two of practice
Experienced hackers can pick deadbolt
locks in under 30 seconds
Bump keys are even easier (Link Ch 3o)

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 Card Reader Locks
Keep a log of who
enters and leaves the
room
Security cards can be
used instead of keys
for better security
◼ Image from link Ch 3p

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