re ISP Accused of "Hijacking" Google Search Queries and Subscribers' DNS

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat net>
> Date: April 10, 2010 7:50:26 PM EDT
> To: dave () farber net, ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] re  ISP Accused of "Hijacking" Google Search  
> Queries and Subscribers' DNS

> Patrick Gilmore writes:
>
> > While I would not argue your general conclusions below, I question  
> > the use of the term DPI in this case.  Redirecting a TCP port  
> > number is definitely above Layer 3, but typically I see the term  
> > "DPI" to mean looking into the payload of a packet, not the headers.
> >
> > Assuming Windstream were only redirecting port 53 traffic (which  
> > would have the same symptoms as what you describe), this is pretty  
> > standard technology. Frequently high-end routers can do this  
> > without additional hardware.
>
> It's not just high end routers. Every computer in the world that  
> runs Linux or BSD UNIX (which means every Macintosh!) comes equipped  
> with the ability to do this. On my FreeBSD routers, it's as simple  
> as typing
>
> ipfw add fwd 10.0.0.254 udp any to any 53
>
> (although the command is usually included in a longer shell script  
> that sets up firewall rules).
>
> It's not "deep" (all packets are one-dimensional streams of bits)  
> and it's certainly not "inspection" (no human is looking at the  
> packets.) It's simple policy routing, as is done by every backbone  
> router on the Net.
>
> > What's more, you will probably get a response from Brett, who uses  
> > something like this to redirect port 80 to his web caches.  Of  
> > course, his caches probably show the "real" web page, but the  
> > traffic is definitely being redirected.
>
> Yes, I do use a variation of the command above to redirect Web  
> traffic to caches for improved performance. This is especially  
> important during "rush hour," from 5 to 10 PM, when my backbone  
> connection cannot handle 2000 separate video streams of "Never Gonna  
> Give You Up." Fortunately, I can serve them from the cache. ;-)
>
> I also use DNS redirection in the routers I put up at hospitality  
> venues (hotels, campgrounds, coffeehouses, etc.) that offer Wi-Fi to  
> guests. It ensures that the user can get access to the Net even if  
> he or she has static DNS settings that won't normally work outside  
> his or her home network. Saves us support calls and results in a lot  
> of satisfied users.
>
> For more, see
>
> http://ow.ly/1wJgL
>
> --Brett Glass



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