draft-ietf-dnsop-reflectors-are-evil-04.txt   draft-ietf-dnsop-reflectors-are-evil-05pre.txt 
Network Working Group J. Damas Network Working Group J. Damas
Internet-Draft ISC Internet-Draft ISC
Intended status: Best Current F. Neves Intended status: Best Current F. Neves
Practice Registro.br Practice Registro.br
Expires: January 10, 2008 July 9, 2007 Expires: January 10, 2008 July 9, 2007
Preventing Use of Recursive Nameservers in Reflector Attacks Preventing Use of Recursive Nameservers in Reflector Attacks
draft-ietf-dnsop-reflectors-are-evil-04.txt draft-ietf-dnsop-reflectors-are-evil-05pre.txt
Status of this Memo Status of this Memo
By submitting this Internet-Draft, each author represents that any By submitting this Internet-Draft, each author represents that any
applicable patent or other IPR claims of which he or she is aware applicable patent or other IPR claims of which he or she is aware
have been or will be disclosed, and any of which he or she becomes have been or will be disclosed, and any of which he or she becomes
aware will be disclosed, in accordance with Section 6 of BCP 79. aware will be disclosed, in accordance with Section 6 of BCP 79.
Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that
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This document describes ways to prevent the use of default configured This document describes ways to prevent the use of default configured
recursive nameservers as reflectors in Denial of Service (DoS) recursive nameservers as reflectors in Denial of Service (DoS)
attacks. Recommended configuration as measures to mitigate the attacks. Recommended configuration as measures to mitigate the
attack are given. attack are given.
Table of Contents Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Document Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2. Document Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Problem Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3. Problem Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4. Recommended Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4. Recommended Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 5. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6. Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 6. Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
7. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 7. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
8. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 8. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
8.1. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 8.1. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
8.2. Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 8.2. Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Intellectual Property and Copyright Statements . . . . . . . . . . 8 Intellectual Property and Copyright Statements . . . . . . . . . . 8
1. Introduction 1. Introduction
Recently, DNS [RFC1034] has been named as a major factor in the Recently, DNS [RFC1034] has been named as a major factor in the
generation of massive amounts of network traffic used in Denial of generation of massive amounts of network traffic used in Denial of
Service (DoS) attacks. These attacks, called reflector attacks, are Service (DoS) attacks. These attacks, called reflector attacks, are
not due to any particular flaw in the design of the DNS or its not due to any particular flaw in the design of the DNS or its
implementations, aside perhaps the fact that DNS relies heavily on implementations, aside perhaps the fact that DNS relies heavily on
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The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
document are to be interpreted as described in [RFC2119]. document are to be interpreted as described in [RFC2119].
3. Problem Description 3. Problem Description
Because most DNS traffic is stateless by design, an attacker could Because most DNS traffic is stateless by design, an attacker could
start a DoS attack in the following way: start a DoS attack in the following way:
1. The attacker starts by configuring a record (LRECORD) on any zone 1. The attacker starts by configuring a record on any zone he has
he has access to (AZONE), normally with large RDATA and TTL. access to, normally with large RDATA and TTL.
2. Taking advantage of clients (ZCLIENTS) on non-BCP38 networks, the 2. Taking advantage of clients on non-BCP38 networks, the attacker
attacker then crafts a query for LRECORD using the source address then crafts a query using the source address of their target
of their target victim and sends it to an open recursive victim and sends it to an open recursive nameserver (ORNS).
nameserver (ORNS). 3. Each open recursive nameserver proceeds with the resolution,
3. Each ORNS proceeds with the resolution, caches the LRECORD and caches the record and finally sends it to the target. After this
finally sends it to the target. After this first lookup, access first lookup, access to the authoritative nameservers is normally
to the authoritative nameservers for AZONE is normally no longer no longer necessary. The record will remain cached for the
necessary. The LRECORD will remain cached for the duration of duration of the TTL at the open recursive nameserver even if it's
the TTL at the ORNS even if the AZONE is corrected. deleted from the zone.
4. Cleanup of the AZONE might, depending on the implementation used 4. Cleanup of the zone might, depending on the implementation used
in the ORNS, afford a way to clean the cached LRECORD from the in the open recursive nameserver, afford a way to clean the
ORNS. This would possibly involve queries luring the ORNS to cached record from the open recursive nameserver. This would
possibly involve queries luring the open recursive nameserver to
lookup information for the same name that is being used in the lookup information for the same name that is being used in the
amplification. amplification.
Because the characteristics of the attack normally involve a low Because the characteristics of the attack normally involve a low
volume of packets amongst all the kinds of actors besides the victim volume of packets amongst all the kinds of actors besides the victim,
(AZONE, ZCLIENTS, ORNS), it's unlikely any one of them would notice it's unlikely any one of them would notice their involvement based on
their involvement based on traffic pattern changes. traffic pattern changes.
Taking advantage of ORNS that support EDNS0 [RFC2671], the Taking advantage of open recursive nameserver that support EDNS0
amplification factor (response packet size / query packet size) could [RFC2671], the amplification factor (response packet size / query
be around 80. With this amplification factor a relatively small army packet size) could be around 80. With this amplification factor a
of ZCLIENTS and ORNS could generate gigabits of traffic towards the relatively small army of clients and open recursive nameservers could
victim. generate gigabits of traffic towards the victim.
With the increasing length of authoritative DNS responses derived
from deployment of DNSSEC and NAPTR as used in ENUM services,
authoritative servers will eventually be more useful as actors in
this sort of amplification attack.
Even if this attack is only really possible due to non-deployment of Even if this attack is only really possible due to non-deployment of
BCP 38, this amplification attack is easier to leverage because for BCP 38, this amplification attack is easier to leverage because for
historical reasons, from times when the Internet was a much closer- historical reasons, from times when the Internet was a much closer-
knit community, some nameserver implementations have been made knit community, some nameserver implementations have been made
available with default configurations that when used for recursive available with default configurations that when used for recursive
nameservers made the server accessible to all hosts on the Internet. nameservers made the server accessible to all hosts on the Internet.
For years this was a convenient and helpful configuration, enabling For years this was a convenient and helpful configuration, enabling
wider availability of services. As this document aims to make wider availability of services. As this document aims to make
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nameserver services and focus the delivery of services on the nameserver services and focus the delivery of services on the
intended audience of those services, be they a university campus, an intended audience of those services, be they a university campus, an
enterprise or an ISP's customers. The target audience also includes enterprise or an ISP's customers. The target audience also includes
operators of small network operators and private server managers who operators of small network operators and private server managers who
decide to operate nameservers with the aim of optimising their DNS decide to operate nameservers with the aim of optimising their DNS
service, as these are more likely to use default configurations as service, as these are more likely to use default configurations as
shipped by implementors. shipped by implementors.
4. Recommended Configuration 4. Recommended Configuration
From the description of the problem in the previous section it
follows that the solution to these sort of attacks is the wide
deployment of ingress filtering [BCP38] in routers to prevent use of
address spoofing as a viable course of action to prevent the attacks.
In situations were more complex network setups are in place, "Ingress
Filtering for Multihomed Network" [BCP84] maybe a useful additional
reference.
Nonetheless, the fact remains that DNS servers acting as open
recursive servers provide an easy means to obtain great rates of
amplification for attack traffic, requiring only a small amount of
traffic from the attack sources to generate a vast amount of traffic
towards the victim.
With the increasing length of authoritative DNS responses derived
from deployment of DNSSEC and NAPTR as used in ENUM services,
authoritative servers will eventually be more useful as actors in
this sort of amplification attack, stressing even more the need for
deployment of BCP 38.
In this section we describe the Best Current Practice for operating In this section we describe the Best Current Practice for operating
recursive nameservers. Following these recommendations would reduce recursive nameservers. Following these recommendations would reduce
the chances of having a given recursive nameserver be used for the the chances of having a given recursive nameserver be used for the
generation of an amplification attack. generation of an amplification attack.
The generic recommendation to nameserver operators is to use the The generic recommendation to nameserver operators is to use the
means provided by the implementation of choice to provide recursive means provided by the implementation of choice to provide recursive
name lookup service only to the intended clients. Client name lookup service only to the intended clients. Client
authentication can be usually done in several ways: authentication can be usually done in several ways:
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authenticate the clients. This is a less error prone method, authenticate the clients. This is a less error prone method,
which allows server operators to provide service to clients who which allows server operators to provide service to clients who
change IP address frequently (e.g. roaming clients). The current change IP address frequently (e.g. roaming clients). The current
drawback of this method is that very few stub resolver drawback of this method is that very few stub resolver
implementations support TSIG or SIG(0) signing of outgoing implementations support TSIG or SIG(0) signing of outgoing
queries. The effective use of this method implies in most cases queries. The effective use of this method implies in most cases
running a local instance of a caching nameserver or forwarder that running a local instance of a caching nameserver or forwarder that
will be able to TSIG sign the queries and send them on to the will be able to TSIG sign the queries and send them on to the
recursive nameserver of choice. recursive nameserver of choice.
o For mobile users use a Virtual Private Network.
In nameservers that do not need to be providing recursive service, In nameservers that do not need to be providing recursive service,
for instance servers that are meant to be authoritative only, turn for instance servers that are meant to be authoritative only, turn
recursion off completely. In general, it is a good idea to keep recursion off completely. In general, it is a good idea to keep
recursive and authoritative services separate as much as practical. recursive and authoritative services separate as much as practical.
This, of course, depends on local circumstances. This, of course, depends on local circumstances.
Even with all these recommendations network operators should consider
deployment of ingress filtering [BCP38] in routers to prevent use of
address spoofing as a viable course of action. In situations where
more complex network setups are in place, "Ingress Filtering for
Multihomed Network" [BCP84] maybe a useful additional reference.
By default, nameservers SHOULD NOT offer recursive service to By default, nameservers SHOULD NOT offer recursive service to
external networks. external networks.
5. Security Considerations 5. Security Considerations
This document does not create any new security issues for the DNS This document does not create any new security issues for the DNS
protocol, it deals with a weakness in implementations. protocol, it deals with a weakness in implementations.
It's not excessive to repeat that, although recommended
configurations described in this document could alleviate the
problem, the only solution to source address spoofing problems is the
wide-scale deployment of Ingress Filtering to prevent use of spoofed
IP addresses [BCP38], [BCP84].
6. Acknowledgments 6. Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the helpful input and comments The authors would like to acknowledge the helpful input and comments
of Joe Abley, Olafur Gudmundsson, Pekka Savola, and Andrew Sullivan. of Joe Abley, Olafur Gudmundsson, Pekka Savola, and Andrew Sullivan.
7. IANA Considerations 7. IANA Considerations
This document does not define a registry and does not require any This document does not define a registry and does not require any
IANA action. IANA action.
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