Fast Flux Hosting is a technique used by cybercriminals to evade detection and maintain control over their malicious infrastructure. It involves constantly changing the IP addresses and domain names associated with a network of compromised machines, making it difficult for security researchers and law enforcement agencies to track and take down these malicious operations. There are several techniques used in fast flux hosting, including domain fluxing, IP fluxing, and subdomain fluxing.
Domain Fluxing:
Domain fluxing is a technique where the domain names associated with a fast flux network are rapidly changed. This can be achieved by registering multiple domain names and associating them with the compromised machines in the network. The domain names are then "flipped" or changed frequently, making it difficult to block or blacklist them.
IP Fluxing:
IP fluxing involves constantly changing the IP addresses associated with a fast flux network. This can be achieved by using techniques such as round-robin DNS or by using a botnet to proxy traffic through a large number of compromised machines. By changing the IP addresses, the attackers can quickly shift their infrastructure to new locations, making it challenging for security solutions to keep up.
Subdomain Fluxing:
Subdomain fluxing involves creating and rotating subdomains within a fast flux network. The attackers can rapidly generate and change subdomains, associating them with different IP addresses in the network. This further complicates efforts to track and block the malicious infrastructure.
These fast flux hosting techniques allow cybercriminals to create a highly resilient and evasive infrastructure for hosting their malicious activities. It requires continuous monitoring and advanced security measures to detect and mitigate these threats effectively.