Towards automated vulnerability scanning of network servers

Nathan Schagen; Koen Koning; Herbert Bos; Cristiano Giuffrida

doi:10.1145/3193111.3193116

Towards automated vulnerability scanning of network servers

Nathan Schagen
, Koen Koning
, Herbert Bos
, Cristiano Giuffrida

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

566 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We explore a new technique for safe patch fingerprinting to automate vulnerability scanning of network servers. Our technique helps automate the discovery of inputs that safely discriminate vulnerable from patched servers for the latest vulnerabilities. This enables rapid updates to vulnerability scanning tools as new software vulnerabilities are discovered, allowing administrators to scan and secure their networks more quickly. To ensure such scans are safe and ethical, we need to reject inputs with malicious side effects. We have implemented a framework, based on delta execution, which tests the discriminative property of such inputs, as well as their safety. We use a fuzzer to find promising candidate inputs to further automate the process. To illustrate the potential of this approach, we present a Heartbleed case study.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	EuroSec 2018
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings of the 11th European Workshop on Systems Security
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery, Inc
Pages	1-6
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Electronic)	9781450356527
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3193111.3193116
Publication status	Published - 2018
Event	11th European Workshop on Systems Security, EuroSec 2018 - Porto, Portugal Duration: 23 Apr 2018 → 26 Apr 2018

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the ACM Series
Publisher	ACM

Conference

Conference	11th European Workshop on Systems Security, EuroSec 2018
Country/Territory	Portugal
City	Porto
Period	23/04/18 → 26/04/18

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

Internet-wide scanning
Network security
Vulnerability fingerprinting

Access to Document

10.1145/3193111.3193116

Towards automated vulnerability scanning of network serversFinal published version, 508 KBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

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@inproceedings{f1a1b513501e4b7d8a4b21cd1e0250b5,

title = "Towards automated vulnerability scanning of network servers",

abstract = "We explore a new technique for safe patch fingerprinting to automate vulnerability scanning of network servers. Our technique helps automate the discovery of inputs that safely discriminate vulnerable from patched servers for the latest vulnerabilities. This enables rapid updates to vulnerability scanning tools as new software vulnerabilities are discovered, allowing administrators to scan and secure their networks more quickly. To ensure such scans are safe and ethical, we need to reject inputs with malicious side effects. We have implemented a framework, based on delta execution, which tests the discriminative property of such inputs, as well as their safety. We use a fuzzer to find promising candidate inputs to further automate the process. To illustrate the potential of this approach, we present a Heartbleed case study.",

keywords = "Internet-wide scanning, Network security, Vulnerability fingerprinting",

author = "Nathan Schagen and Koen Koning and Herbert Bos and Cristiano Giuffrida",

year = "2018",

doi = "10.1145/3193111.3193116",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of the ACM Series",

publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery, Inc",

pages = "1--6",

booktitle = "EuroSec 2018",

note = "11th European Workshop on Systems Security, EuroSec 2018 ; Conference date: 23-04-2018 Through 26-04-2018",

}

Schagen, N, Koning, K, Bos, H & Giuffrida, C 2018, Towards automated vulnerability scanning of network servers. in EuroSec 2018: Proceedings of the 11th European Workshop on Systems Security., 5, Proceedings of the ACM Series, Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, pp. 1-6, 11th European Workshop on Systems Security, EuroSec 2018, Porto, Portugal, 23/04/18. https://doi.org/10.1145/3193111.3193116

Towards automated vulnerability scanning of network servers. / Schagen, Nathan; Koning, Koen; Bos, Herbert et al.
EuroSec 2018: Proceedings of the 11th European Workshop on Systems Security. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 2018. p. 1-6 5 (Proceedings of the ACM Series).

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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T1 - Towards automated vulnerability scanning of network servers

AU - Schagen, Nathan

AU - Koning, Koen

AU - Bos, Herbert

AU - Giuffrida, Cristiano

PY - 2018

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N2 - We explore a new technique for safe patch fingerprinting to automate vulnerability scanning of network servers. Our technique helps automate the discovery of inputs that safely discriminate vulnerable from patched servers for the latest vulnerabilities. This enables rapid updates to vulnerability scanning tools as new software vulnerabilities are discovered, allowing administrators to scan and secure their networks more quickly. To ensure such scans are safe and ethical, we need to reject inputs with malicious side effects. We have implemented a framework, based on delta execution, which tests the discriminative property of such inputs, as well as their safety. We use a fuzzer to find promising candidate inputs to further automate the process. To illustrate the potential of this approach, we present a Heartbleed case study.

AB - We explore a new technique for safe patch fingerprinting to automate vulnerability scanning of network servers. Our technique helps automate the discovery of inputs that safely discriminate vulnerable from patched servers for the latest vulnerabilities. This enables rapid updates to vulnerability scanning tools as new software vulnerabilities are discovered, allowing administrators to scan and secure their networks more quickly. To ensure such scans are safe and ethical, we need to reject inputs with malicious side effects. We have implemented a framework, based on delta execution, which tests the discriminative property of such inputs, as well as their safety. We use a fuzzer to find promising candidate inputs to further automate the process. To illustrate the potential of this approach, we present a Heartbleed case study.

KW - Internet-wide scanning

KW - Network security

KW - Vulnerability fingerprinting

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M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:85049414570

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PB - Association for Computing Machinery, Inc

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ER -

Towards automated vulnerability scanning of network servers

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

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