Re: Virus/Trojan/Worm in the Dorms

["Eric C. Lukens" <eric.lukens () UNI EDU>]

Forcing the use of your own DNS servers by blocking DNS to all but your
own DNS servers would also be an important method prevent further
spread, and future infections in general. Plus, machines that try to use
outside DNS servers can be easily flagged as potentially infected, or
connected to a bad DHCP. The downside is that students that previously
used OpenDNS or Google DNS would find they don't work, but in an
outbreak scenario, that should be an acceptable sacrifice.

-Eric

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Virus/Trojan/Worm in the Dorms
From: James R. Pardonek <pardonjr () PURDUECAL EDU>
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Date: 9/6/2011 9:32 AM

> It would be interesting to know and helpful for them if they had a
> switched network with switches that have some intelligence in their
> dorms.  We prevent this by not allowing traffic from student computers
> that source common ports such as DHCP or HTTP.
>
>  
>
> Regards,
>
>  
>
> Jim
>
>  
>
> Please let me know if there is anything additional I can assist you with
> to ensure the service you received today has been excellent.
>
>  
>
> James R. Pardonek, CISSP CEH CPT
>
> Assistant Director for Information Security and Assurance
>
> Information Services
>
> Purdue University Calumet
>
> Hammond, Indiana
>
> P: (219)989-2745
>
>  
>
> *From:*The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
> [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] *On Behalf Of *Tim Fairlie
> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 06, 2011 9:25 AM
> *To:* SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> *Subject:* Re: [SECURITY] Virus/Trojan/Worm in the Dorms
>
>  
>
> Hey Allen,
>
> Any idea how those folks made out with this outbreak?
> Our kids moved in yesterday and we saw the same thing. We've been able
> to stop it from spreading, but cleaning the infected machines has so far
> been a lengthy task.
>
> Was wondering if you knew how they've addressed it
>
>
> Tim
>
> Timothy J. Fairlie - Director
> Network/User/Telecommunication Services (N.U.T.S)
> Rider University                fairlie () rider edu
> <mailto:fairlie () rider edu>
>
> ----- "Allen Wood" <awood () HILLCOLLEGE EDU
> <mailto:awood () HILLCOLLEGE EDU>> wrote:
> >
>
> > I'm sending this on behalf of a neighboring college.  It looks like
> they need help in a pretty bad way... here's their message-
> > ****************
> >
> > We've got a bit of a mess here - not quite sure how we're going to deal
> with it.  We contract with AT&T to provide internet service in our
> dorms.  We don't provide tech support to our students for  their
> personal computers.  Even if that weren't our policy, two techs can't
> provide technical support to 900 kids (not to mention the other 1900
> computers we have that are spread over 4 different campuses).
> > This trojan turns computers into rogue DHCP servers - once the bad IP
> address has been handed out to a computer on the network, it's then
> pointed to a bad DNS server - that in turn sends the computer to a
> website in Romania that displays a web page stating that the browser is
> out of date and provided a link to an executable file that is supposed
> to update the brower - and that executable then infects another
> computer.  It appears we're dealing with a variant of Rorpian.A.
> > At this point, the network in our dorms isn't operational - it's
> impossible to connect to the valid DHCP server because there are so many
> infected computers now.  We don't have any system in place to log or
> track computers - so even though we can run Wireshark and see the
> traffic, we have no way of tracking that back to an individual to try to
> eliminate the rogue servers.  In addition, we've had an ongoing problem
> with residents of the apartment complex across the street (not
> associated with us) using our wireless network - and odds are, they're
> now infected as well.
> > We've tried 4 different anti-virus/malware products and none have
> seemed to work as far as cleaning the computers that we deliberately
> infected in an attempt to find a solution.  So far now, we have our dorm
> network shut down entirely to prevent further infection - and we have
> 900 furious students.
> > We don't have  the manpower to offer to format these student computers
> - and even if we did have enough people, and were willing to accept the
> liability, we wouldn't be able to put their software back on.  We're
> also not comfortable with "suggesting" that the students take their
> computers to a PC repair shop (even though that's probably the only
> answer) for the same reason.   Even at that, if one rogue server is
> still out there, we're going to have the issue again once we turn the
> network back on.  And what if that rogue server is in the apartment
> complex that we have no control over?
> > Anyone have any ideas on how to combat this?  We've been banging our
> heads against the wall for two days now and admit we may not even be
> thinking clearing any more.  At the moment we can't think of a way out
> of this.  Any suggestions would be welcome.
> > Probably the good news out of all of it is that this will probably
> either cause the maintaining of the dorm internet to be outsourced, or
> we'll get the equipment we need to manage it properly.  In the meantime,
> though, that's not going to help us.
> >
>
> *******************
> > I'll be happy to forward on any suggestions or ideas that you may have.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
>
>  
>
> Allen
> >

-- 
Eric C. Lukens
IT Security Policy and Risk Assessment Analyst
ITS-Network Services
Curris Business Building 15
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0121
319-273-7434
http://www.uni.edu/elukens/

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