Prolexic Issues Dirt Jumper Threat Advisory And Releases Free Security Scanner

HOLLYWOOD, FL — (December 29, 2011) — Prolexic Technologies, the global leader in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) mitigation services, today announced it has issued a threat advisory for Dirt Jumper, a high-risk DDoS toolkit that can be used to launch application layer attacks on web sites. Prolexic has also developed a security-scanning tool that can be used to detect Dirt Jumper command and control servers. The threat advisory and scanner can be downloaded free of charge from www.prolexic.com/threatadvisories.

Dirt Jumper is a prepackaged toolkit that has evolved from the Russkill strain of malware. It is now widely available on various underground websites and retails for as little as US$150. Dirt Jumper can be spread via spam, exploit kits, fake downloads and can be pushed out to machines already infected with other forms of malware.

“The Dirt Jumper DDoS toolkit is currently one of the most aggressive malware strains used by DDoS attackers globally,” said Neal Quinn, vice president of operations at Prolexic. “Increasingly, we are seeing this tool used against clients worldwide and it is likely to become more widespread and effective as distribution spreads.”

After analyzing the Dirt Jumper v3 DDoS Toolkit, the Prolexic Security Engineering and Response Team (PLXSERT) categorized it as a high-risk threat. The Prolexic team identified the newest variant, known as Dirt Jumper September and uncovered that it had updated functionalities as well as an enhanced control panel, which makes it simple for attackers to use. Prolexic’s Dirt Jumper Threat Advisory provides an analysis of the payload and also gives a detailed breakdown of attack signatures by attack type, as well as information on remediation and recommended mitigation strategies.

PLXSERT has also written a custom-scanning tool called Dirt Dozer (dirtdozer.py) that enables security research teams and engineers to validate if any suspected HTTP command and control servers utilize any strains of the malware. As a public service to business enterprises and organizations worldwide, Prolexic’s Dirt Dozer scanner is being made available free of charge and can be downloaded from www.prolexic.com/threatadvisories.

Prolexic Threat Advisories

Prolexic recently launched a service that provides its subscribers with regular Threat Advisories. Compiled by the Prolexic Security Engineering and Response Team (PLXSERT), on-going advisories will help subscribers stay informed and vigilant so they can make better, proactive decisions.

Designed to provide early warnings of new or modified DDoS attack signatures and scripts recently observed by PLXSERT, each Threat Advisory contains a detailed description of the type of attack, a list of attack signatures, and the specific network infrastructure or application that it targets. In addition, Prolexic’s DDoS mitigation experts also offer insight into the nature of each type of attack, as well as provide specific warnings as to how the attack will affect businesses and enterprises of different sizes and infrastructures. PLXSERT also provides threat remediation tips to help subscribers not only recognize the new attack signatures, but also proactively defend against them.

“The more our subscribers understand about DDoS attacks, the more they will be able to make informed decisions about DDoS protection and mitigation strategies,” said Paul Sop, chief technology officer at Prolexic. “As the industry’s premium provider, Prolexic is ideally positioned to provide this unique level of insight and intelligence to our customers.”

New Threat Advisories will be distributed to subscribers via email and will also be posted on the Prolexic Portal, a password protected, subscriber-only resource.

About the Prolexic Security Engineering & Response Team (PLXSERT)

PLXSERT monitors malicious cyber threats globally and analyzes DDoS attacks using proprietary techniques and equipment. Through data forensics and post attack analysis, PLXSERT is able to build a global view of DDoS attacks, which is shared with customers. By identifying the sources and associated attributes of individual attacks, the PLXSERT team helps organizations adopt best practices and make more informed, proactive decisions about DDoS threats.

About Prolexic

Prolexic is the world’s largest, most trusted Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) mitigation provider. Able to absorb the largest and most complex attacks ever launched, Prolexic restores mission critical Internet facing infrastructures for global enterprises and government agencies within minutes. Six of the world’s ten largest banks and the leading companies in e-Commerce, payment processing, travel/hospitality, gaming and other at-risk industries rely on Prolexic to protect their businesses. Founded in 2003 as the world’s first “in the cloud” DDoS mitigation platform, Prolexic is headquartered in Hollywood, Florida and has scrubbing centers located in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.prolexic.com.