CAPEC-285 Detail

An adversary sends out an ICMP Type 8 Echo Request, commonly known as a 'Ping', in order to determine if a target system is responsive. If the request is not blocked by a firewall or ACL, the target host will respond with an ICMP Type 0 Echo Reply datagram. This type of exchange is usually referred to as a 'Ping' due to the Ping utility present in almost all operating systems. Ping, as commonly implemented, allows a user to test for alive hosts, measure round-trip time, and measure the percentage of packet loss.

Prerequisites

The ability to send an ICMP type 8 query (Echo Request) to a remote target and receive an ICMP type 0 message (ICMP Echo Reply) in response. Any firewalls or access control lists between the sender and receiver must allow ICMP Type 8 and ICMP Type 0 messages in order for a ping operation to succeed.

Skills Required

The adversary needs to know certain linux commands for this type of attack.

Resources Required

Scanners or utilities that provide the ability to send custom ICMP queries.

Mitigations

Consider configuring firewall rules to block ICMP Echo requests and prevent replies. If not practical, monitor and consider action when a system has fast and a repeated pattern of requests that move incrementally through port numbers.

Related Weaknesses

References

REF-33

Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets & Solutions
Stuart McClure, Joel Scambray, George Kurtz.

REF-123

RFC792 - Internet Control Messaging Protocol
J. Postel.
http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc792.html

REF-124

RFC1122 - Requirements for Internet Hosts - Communication Layers
R. Braden, Ed..
http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc1122.html

REF-125

Host Discovery with Nmap
Mark Wolfgang.
http://nmap.org/docs/discovery.pdf

REF-34

Nmap Network Scanning: The Official Nmap Project Guide to Network Discovery and Security Scanning
Gordon "Fyodor" Lyon.

Submission

Modifications