RE: msblast.exe worm FINDINGS (DDoS) ---> Can someone please confirm?

From: Sekurity Wizard (s.wizardat_private)
Date: Thu Aug 14 2003 - 07:00:57 PDT

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    Jose,
    	Something I found that maybe you or someone else on this list
    can validate.  I've done some testing in a sandbox environment with a
    separate BIND server, and this worm is either retarded, or I missed
    something.  Here are my results:
    
    I build a BIND server (10.10.10.1/24) with a forward AND reverse DNS for
    windowsupdate.com as a fictitious address 10.10.20.10/24.  I then put an
    infected client (10.10.10.5/24) on the wire, and set the date ahead to
    the 20th (just for kicks).  This simulate a 'real' environment, since we
    typically won't be on the same network segment as windowsupdate.com,
    right?  *grin*
    
    The INFECTED CLIENT went out, did a forward DNS query, then a reverse,
    then started to ARP for the IP address that DNS had served up.  Since it
    couldn't get a reply back for the IP address (from the ARP request)...it
    continued to arp at a high rate (~10 req/sec or so) without stop....very
    strange.
    
    I then tried some other tests, I removed the reverse DNS lookup, and
    since the worm couldn't find the reverse DNS lookup - it stopped after
    attempting to - no DDoS attack...nothing.
    
    I then also removed the forward DNS record - again, no DDoS attack, it
    just cached the 'cannot find' request, and continued to go merrily along
    its' way to infecting other machines (or trying to).
    
    Can anyone else independantly validate these results?  I'm particularly
    interested in the first result, of the high-ARP issue...
    
    Your assistance is appreciated!
    
    ./Wiz
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Jose Nazario [mailto:joseat_private] 
    Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2003 1:30 AM
    To: Sekurity Wizard
    Subject: Re: msblast.exe --> DDoS against windowsupdate.com (research)
    
    
    it should work regardless of BIOS date vs windows date. make sure it has
    a DNS server that will send a valid reply. i have moved the date to
    sunday the 17th and fired it up and had it start the flood against an IP
    i had entered into a local DNS server as windowsupdate.com.
    
    in short that's my best guess, DNS. if you don't see the request, try
    firing it off again.
    
    ___________________________
    jose nazario, ph.d.			joseat_private
    					http://monkey.org/~jose/
    
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