Old Flaw, New Botnet
Hackers are using a five-year-old flaw in router software to build a botnet that hides its commands inside ordinary internet traffic.
Key terms
AP Cybersecurity alignment
- 2.1.C.4After gaining access during an attack, adversaries establish persistence to maintain access without needing to regain it. They may use a command and control (C2) protocol to send commands to the device and receive output,…Learning objective: Describe the phases of a cyberattack.
- 3.1.B.1Adversaries can send malicious traffic into a network to flood it creating a DoS, to map the internal structure of the network, or to spoof a legitimate device. Networks without firewalls, or with improperly configured…Learning objective: Explain how adversaries can exploit network vulnerabilities to steal, disrupt, or destroy network communication.
- 4.1.C.1Adversaries can develop exploits for known vulnerabilities in software (including operating systems). Devices with unpatched software are vulnerable to these exploits, which could allow an adversary to crash a system, view…Learning objective: Explain how adversaries can exploit common device vulnerabilities to cause loss, damage, disruption, or destruction.
AP Networking alignment
- 2.5.A.3Data loss, device compromise, or malware infection can result when network devices are not updated or secured. These impacts may occur due to outdated firmware or the connection of untrusted devices with known vulnerabilities.Learning objective: Identify impacts of potential security vulnerabilities in a SOHO network.
- 2.5.B.3Security controls to mitigate firmware vulnerabilities include regularly installing firmware updates to apply security patches and enabling automatic updates if available to ensure devices have the latest firmware version.Learning objective: Determine appropriate security controls to mitigate vulnerabilities in a SOHO network.
- 4.4.A.2Network address translation (NAT) is used to allow traffic from internal devices with private IP addresses to send and receive data to and from external devices. NAT helps conserve public IP addresses and adds a layer of…Learning objective: Explain how data travel between different networks.