The E-Commerce Company Scenario
Imagine a large e-commerce company that operates multiple online stores and services under various subdomains. To maintain brand consistency and streamline user experience, they frequently create and retire subdomains for marketing campaigns, temporary promotions, or product launches.
However, due to the dynamic nature of their operations, some of these subdomains may become abandoned or forgotten, leading to dangling domains. These dangling domains pose a significant security risk, as they could be vulnerable to subdomain takeover attacks by malicious actors.
The Threat of Subdomain Takeover
In a subdomain takeover attack against the e-commerce company, the attacker first finds unused or forgotten subdomains owned by the company. They then exploit vulnerabilities like outdated DNIS records or expired service configurations to claim control over these subdomains. With control established, the attacker can redirect traffic to malicious sites for phishing or malware distribution, damaging the company's reputation and risking customer data.
Detecting and Responding to Attacks
Detecting such attacks requires vigilant monitoring of DNS configurations and immediate response to regain control over compromised subdomains and remove malicious content, protecting both the company and its customers from harm.
Importance of Detecting Dangling Domains
Detecting dangling domains is crucial for cybersecurity analysts due to the significant risks and potential exploits associated with them. Here are the key reasons:
Preventing Domain Hijacking
Dangling domains are those that point to a service or IP address that is no longer in use or under the control of the legitimate owner. Cyber attackers can hijack these domains by re-registering them, gaining control over the traffic and data intended for the original domain. This can lead to data breaches and unauthorised access to sensitive information.
Mitigating Phishing Attacks
Attackers can use hijacked dangling domains to set up phishing sites that closely mimic legitimate services. This increases the likelihood of unsuspecting users falling for phishing scams, resulting in credential theft and further compromise of user accounts.
Avoiding Service Disruption
If a critical domain is left dangling and then hijacked by an attacker, it can lead to significant service disruptions. Users trying to access legitimate services might be redirected to malicious sites, causing reputational damage and loss of trust.
Protecting Brand Reputation
A hijacked dangling domain associated with a well-known brand can be used to distribute malware or conduct fraudulent activities. This can severely damage the brand's reputation and erode customer trust.
Ensuring Data Privacy
Attackers who gain control of dangling domains can intercept and manipulate the data transmitted to these domains. This can lead to data leaks and compromise user privacy, violating data protection regulations and exposing organisations to legal liabilities.
Preventing SEO Manipulation
Cybercriminals can exploit dangling domains to manipulate search engine rankings and redirect traffic from legitimate sites to malicious ones, impacting the affected organisation’s online presence and visibility.
Maintaining Network Security
Dangling domains can be used to establish command and control servers for botnets. Detecting and mitigating these domains helps in disrupting the communication channels of such malicious networks, enhancing overall network security.
Enhancing Incident Response
Detecting dangling domains enables cybersecurity teams to proactively address potential security issues before they are exploited by attackers. This contributes to a more robust incident response strategy and reduces the window of opportunity for attackers.
Conclusion
In summary, detecting and mitigating dangling domains is essential for maintaining the integrity, security, and reputation of an organisation’s online presence, protecting users, and ensuring compliance with data protection standards. It’s not a common feature across all ASM tools but it is becoming a more frequent ‘ask’ from users, for all the reasons stated above.
ACDS’ OBSERVATORY ASM Tool
ACDS has enhanced its asset discovery by detecting DNS misconfiguration and identifying dangling domains that are vulnerable to subdomain takeover. Our OBSERVATORY Attack Surface Management (ASM) tool provides clean and concise data in a single pane of glass, reducing noise. It enables prioritisation of critical vulnerabilities by scanning billions of IP ports daily, monitoring full IPv4 coverage, and targeted IPv6 exploration. We use a multivariate risk assessment approach, incorporating the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), and flagging CVEs found on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list. This results in fewer false positives, helping you prioritise vulnerabilities and aid in rapid triage.