A note about logging hostname vs. IP address

From: Ryan Russell (ryanat_private)
Date: Wed Aug 01 2001 - 10:27:29 PDT

  • Next message: Ryan Russell: "Re: CodeRed Activity"

    Obviously, this is coming up in reference to Code Red logs, but it applies
    in general.
    
    Some of the logs we're getting, I believe mostly web logs, log the
    hostname, and not the IP address.  As I'm going through and correlating
    the logs, this creates a problem.  Now, I'm not writing to complain, but
    rather warn.
    
    If you're logging only reverse DNS names, and not also the IP addresses,
    then you are throwing away information.  As most people know, one can pick
    an arbitrary reverse name for in-addr.arpa netblocks under one's control.
    So, if you query an IP address for the name, and get back
    www.whitehouse.gov, and only store that, then you now have no idea what IP
    address attacked you.
    
    This comes up especially when you are trying to report incidents.  For
    example, 9 out of 10 of the hostnames I just tried to turn back into an IP
    didn't work, no host by that name.  If I were to try and mail that to the
    (apparant) domain contact, they wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
    
    Again, just trying to point out to people that they should be careful
    about what they log.
    
    					Ryan
    
    
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