Abstract:
While network worms carry various payloads and may utilize any available exploits, they all have one common component - the propagation engine. Moreover, it is important ...Show MoreMetadata
Abstract:
While network worms carry various payloads and may utilize any available exploits, they all have one common component - the propagation engine. Moreover, it is important to note that the number of conceptually distinct propagation engines employed by existing network worms is quite limited. This paper presents a novel signature-based approach for detecting attacks perpetrated by network worms as a manifestation of a semantic functionality performed by one of the few known propagation engines. We propose a novel methodology to recognize any semantic functionality in the system call domain through utilizing colored Petri Nets. In this application, Petri Nets embody behavior-based signatures of the propagation engine functionalities. These signatures are indicative of the shell code activity in the first stage of the worm proliferation. We developed, tested and evaluated a propagation engine detector (PED) system that detects activity of the worm shell code executed by a process during an attack. Moreover, PED is able to recognize the type of propagation engine employed by the attacking worm.
Date of Conference: 07-09 December 2008
Date Added to IEEE Xplore: 09 January 2009
ISBN Information: