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From: Ali Saifullah Khan (ali_saifullah_at_hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Feb 03 2003 - 13:18:15 CST

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    Todd's question still remains. I'm sure you tried to clear it out, but does
    a "TCP" RST have any effect on "UDP"-oriented connections ?
    We're dealing with 2 different protocols here. The protocol behind the RST
    packet being TCP raises the previous question, and that's what we're trying
    to figure out here.

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: mb_lima <mb_limauol.com.br>
    To: <b_paul_palmeryahoo.com>
    Cc: <focus-idssecurityfocus.com>
    Sent: Friday, January 31, 2003 9:34 PM
    Subject: Re: Active response... some thoughts.

    > Hi Paul,
    >
    > It is perfect your explanation, but an attacker can create
    > ways to keep a sensor busy enough so that "if the sensor is
    > fast enough" is not true. But I agree with you. TCP RST works
    > fine for me. Best Regards,
    >
    > Marcelo
    >
    > > Actually, TCP RST is more than just a marketing
    > > solution. In practice, if the sensor is fast enough, a
    > > TCP RST can and often will prevent even single packet
    > > attacks. Here is why...
    > >
    > > A TCP RST does not cause orderly connection
    > > termination. It causes immediate connection
    > > termination. That is, the protocol stack is not
    > > required to deliver pending data and typically does
    > > not. If you also take into consideration that on most
    > > operating systems, applications are not dispatched
    > > immediately upon arrival of new data, there is a
    > > window of opportunity for the protocol stack to
    > > receive and process the RST even before the
    > > application can read the previously received data from
    > > the single packet attack!
    > >
    > > On most operating systems, when a process is moved
    > > from a wait queue to the run queue, it is not given
    > > immediate control of the CPU unless it has a
    > > "realtime" priority or the run queue is completely
    > > empty. Therefore, it will on average have to wait half
    > > a time slice before it can read its data. A typical
    > > time slice is 10ms. If the IDS can get the RST sent in
    > > under 5ms, it can often stop a single packet attack.
    > > The odds go up if the IDS is faster or the server is
    > > busy.
    > >
    > > >On Tuesday, January 28, 2003, at 08:31 AM, Garbrecht,
    > > Frederick wrote:
    > > >
    > > >> ummmm, just a technical quibble, but a TCP reset
    > > wouldn't work with the
    > > >> Sapphire worm because it propagates using UDP as
    > > transport, not
    > > >> TCP.....
    > >
    > > >It is just a minor quibble because the point is that
    > > the attack was
    > > >completely contained in a single packet. The same
    > > would have held true
    > > >if it was over a TCP/IP connection. Once the attack
    > > has been
    > > >completed, a TCP RST would provide no value. It is
    > > the proverbial
    > > >closing the barn doors after the horse is already
    > > out.
    > > >
    > > >RST is largely a marketing solution, not a technical
    > > solution.
    > > >
    > > >Todd
    > >
    > >
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    >
    >
    > ---
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