Source URL: https://darthnull.org/noisestorms/
Source: Hacker News
Title: Ping Storms at GreyNoise
Feedly Summary: Comments
AI Summary and Description: Yes
**Summary:** The text provides a detailed account of exploring and analyzing background noise data obtained from GreyNoise, focusing on its usage of ICMP packets. The author uncovers potential covert communication techniques using network packet analysis, leading to insights about the characteristics of the data and the specific protocols involved. This exploration emphasizes the importance of packet analysis and could be significant for professionals in the fields of information security and network security.
**Detailed Description:**
The narrative reflects on the author’s experience and technical skills in dissecting internet traffic, particularly focusing on data gathered from GreyNoise. Key points include:
– **GreyNoise Overview**: GreyNoise captures ‘background noise’ on the DNS and learns about the patterns of internet traffic that are less straightforward, such as network mapping, port scanning, and unusual packet behaviors.
– **Analysis Process**: The author describes a hands-on analysis of ICMP traffic, identifying patterns and structures within packet payloads.
– **Covert Communication Theory**: A hypothesis is presented around the idea that if packets can be spoofed with random sites reflecting traffic, covert messages could potentially be sent using ICMP packets. This involves analyzing:
– **ICMP Packets**: Focusing on variations and common elements found in the payload.
– **Magic Numbers**: The significance of the word “LOVE” in the packet payload is examined as a potential marker for certain types of data.
– **Tools Used**:
– **Scapy**: Initially used by the author to manipulate the packet data.
– **Wireshark and pyshark**: Utilized for deeper analysis of packet structures, allowing for more nuanced filtering and examination of packet contents.
– **Findings**: The analysis revealed that certain packets identified as “HIPERCONTRACER” suggest their use for monitoring network traffic but raised questions about their design and implementation.
– The timestamp manipulation and compression techniques signify how data could be represented and how modifications can lead to significant insights.
– **Ongoing Investigation**: The author acknowledges that while a plausible explanation was reached regarding the structure of the packets and their intended purpose, further exploration remains necessary due to the presence of more complex data patterns and variations found across larger datasets.
**Key Takeaways for Professionals**:
– The emphasis on background noise and covert communication techniques underlines the need for rigorous packet analysis methodologies in detecting and interpreting unusual network traffic.
– Understanding the usage of tools like GreyNoise, Scapy, and Wireshark can enhance a security professional’s capability in identifying and mitigating potential security risks within network operations.
– The hypothetical applications of seemingly innocuous data patterns can help inform strategies for data protection, incident response, and anomaly detection in advanced persistent threat scenarios.
– Engaging in community discussions (e.g., BSides conferences) and sharing findings can foster knowledge exchange and innovation in cybersecurity practices.