Command and control (malware)
In the field of computer security, command and control (C&C) infrastructure consists of servers and other technical infrastructure used to control malware in general, and, in particular, botnets. [1][2] Command and control servers may be either directly controlled by the malware operators, or themselves run on hardware compromised by malware. Fast-flux DNS can be used as a way to make it difficult to track down the control servers, which may change from day to day. Control servers may also hop from DNS domain to DNS domain, with domain generation algorithms being used to create new DNS names for controller servers.[3]
In some cases, computer security experts have succeeded in destroying or subverting malware command and control networks, by, among other means, seizing servers or getting them cut off from the Internet, denying access to domains that were due to be used by malware to contact its C&C infrastructure, and, in some cases, breaking into the C&C network itself.[4][5][6] In response to this, C&C operators have resorted to using techniques such as overlaying their C&C networks on other existing benign infrastructure such as IRC or Tor, using peer-to-peer networking systems that are not dependent on any fixed servers, and using public key encryption to defeat attempts to break into or spoof the network.
See also
- Malware
- Advanced Persistent Threat
References
- ↑ "Command & Control: Understanding, denying, detecting". Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure. 2014.
- ↑ "Command and Control in the Fifth Domain". Command Five Pty Ltd. Feb 2012.
- ↑ "Malware increasingly uses DNS as command and control channel to avoid detection, experts say". PC World.
- ↑ "Detecting and Dismantling Botnet Command and Control Infrastructure using Behavioral Profilers and Bot Informants".
- ↑ "DISCLOSURE: Detecting Botnet Command and Control Servers Through Large-Scale NetFlow Analysis". Annual Computer Security Applications Conference. ACM. Dec 2012.
- ↑ "BotSniffer: Detecting Botnet Command and Control Channels in Network Traffic". Proceedings of the 15th Annual Network and Distributed System Security Symposium. 2008.