Subject:  Are You Part of the Problem? |
Author:
Drake
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Date Posted: 23:33:17 10/23/02 Wed
Hello All:
Yesterday 9 of the 13 backbone servers for the Internet were assualted through what is known as a "Denial of Service" attack (DoS). For one hour 9 systems were halted in their ability to serve web pages, route traffic and send email to their destinations. This is a significant attack against the very heart of the Internet. For those of us who gain so much enjoyment and use from the Internet, please take this next part very seriously.
If you surf the Net without the use of a good personal firewall, then there is a pretty good chance you were part of the attack. This depends on whether you use Instant Messages (IM) or Internet Relay Chat (IRC) programs. AOL IM and MSN IM are some of the most common. Mirabilis IRQ is a popular IRC as is iChat and MIRQ. There is an inherent danger in using these programs for a number of reasons. It has been proven that IRQ, many IRC servers, and most IM servers are host to "silent servers" where elite hackers tend to lurk. They scan all incoming system connection requests and check to see if there are unguarded, open ports. If they find an open system, possibly your computer that is not protected, they deliver a small program called a "zombie trojan" that then nests in your computer. You can't see this program unless you know what to look for and they often are inert until given a specific command. Hundreds of thousands of these zombies have been distributed.
The creators or administrators of these zombies then wait to send out the silent command. The command entails telling the trojan to send a request for service to a hub server. This command can be nested inside web pages or in pop-up ads. Your system then responds by making the request to the designated server. It is a small packet of data that is sent along and it waits for a response. However, these zombies are instructed to send out hundreds or thousands of requests, and you really won't notice the traffic on your system because the requests are very tiny packets. The machine that is getting requested, or pinged, can handle a certain number of these and return the confirmation. The DoS happens when tens of thousands of requests all come in at one time. This overloads the server bandwidth, and the server literally disappears from the Internet. It is not shut down, it just can't get out to the Internet. There are, by what I have read recently, over one hundred variants of these zombie trojan programs.
The upshot is that you may have unwittingly taken part in this massive DoS attack. If you do not have a good personal firewall, like ZoneAlarm (which is free), and you use IMs and/or IRCs, then you may well be part of the problem. Using the Internet is not a right: it is a privilege. It also comes with the responsibility of every user to adequately take steps to insure they are not causing harm to the Internet. This is a shared resource by everyone in the world, and we all have to do our part. Thus, here are the steps EVERY Internet user should be taking:
1) Get a good virus scanner, and keep the virus pattern files up to date, and monitor all incoming connections including email;
2) Get a good personal firewall to monitor who and/or what is trying to sneak into your system;
3) Avoid using IMs or IRCs until the providers take steps to root out the silent servers and secure their systems;
4) Disable Active X and scripting capabilities in your web browsers - yes, this will make it impossible for you to see some parts of the web, but is the risk worth it?
5) Get a pop-up ad blocker (Pop-up Stopper is good and free)and this provides not only the benefit of thwarting silent commands nested in pop-up ads, but it also frees you have having to contend with the ads.
These five simple steps can help reduce the number of DoS attacks that go on every single day, and often multiple times a day. Some sites are targeted daily. There is no good reason why the evil elite hackers do this except that they can. I know some of the good elite hackers who work tirelessly to stop these "Zombie Masters" and end the DoS attacks. However, their work is made even harder by people who do not adequately protect their systems. Use your computer wisely, use the Internet wisely, and we will all benefit in the long run.
For more information and a detailed explanation of what is occurring, please visit Gibson Research Corporation ( or www.grc.com ). This is our responsbility... let's not let a few wanton creeps wreck it all for everyone.
Thanks,
Drake
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