Posted on 08/05/2015 1:12:24 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The terms Deep Web, Dark Web and darknet have begun piercing the bubble of popular culture. Theyre used continuously in shows like CBS CSI: Cyber and Mr. Robot on the USA Network. While not quite as popular as terms like malware, give them some time and theyll get there eventually.
The Deep Web is typically referenced as a place where criminals meet and sell various illegal wares first and foremost. My previous report, Dangers of the Deep, Dark Web, demonstrates this is indeed true. It is, however, also a place from which cybercriminals issue attacks.
Onions Have Layers One very popular platform used on the Deep Web is Tor, originally known as The Onion Router. As its name suggests, it is a layered platform built to facilitate privacy in online activity. Tor is one of the most popular anonymizing platforms on the Internet. Each peer or node that is part of Tor adds a layer of obfuscation to traffic and content, like an onion, protecting them from exposure to unintended eyes.
Once the traffic arrives at a destination, it has to be de-obfuscated to a legible form, thereby exiting the network via an exit node. Exit nodes are the connection from the Tor network to the surface Web, or the publicly accessible Internet. These nodes translate the anonymous, peer-to-peer traffic streamed between Tor nodes on the Deep Web, allowing it to reach websites on the surface Web.
Hiding Attacks in the Layers My latest report, What Surfaces From the Deep, Dark Web, focuses on this aspect of the Deep Web. What exactly are criminals using Tor and its exit nodes for? Are some criminals hiding behind Tor to issue attacks against corporations? The answer to that is yes, they are.
This answer is arrived at through an understanding of the exit nodes themselves, where they are placed and what their proxying capabilities are. An exit node has a legitimate purpose: It masks the IP of the original senders, allowing them to conduct their Web surfing with some degree of anonymity. Unsurprisingly, this is what some criminals use Tor for to disguise their attacks content and origins.
The chart below, based on IBM Managed Security Services (MSS) data, shows a steady increase in malicious attacks from Tor, suggesting that more and more adversaries are hiding behind the program to execute attacks. Whats also interesting are the sudden peaks of traffic. We have evidence that these peaks are tied to malicious botnets that reside within Tor.
Malicious attacks from Tor have been on the rise since the beginning of 2015
Figure 1: Malicious attacks from Tor have been on the rise since the beginning of 2015. Source: IBM Security.
The report also takes a closer look at the most commonly used attacks. There are some interesting patterns emerging, from SQL injection and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) botnets to malicious vulnerability scanning.
More Information on the Dark Web
For more detail on what weve learned and our recommendations on how to prevent attacks from the Deep Web, please read What Surfaces From the Deep, Dark Web and be sure to check out the additional reports offered in our threat research series.
and then there is Hillary’s server...
bkmk
Unlike just about every other TV show or movie that is supposed to be techno-edgy. I always find myself yelling at the screen, "That makes no sense! You can just get to a login on a secure system by typing in a MAC address!"
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