Peer to peer C2

Created the Tuesday 23 April 2019. Updated 5 months, 3 weeks ago.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) botnets are a type of botnet that uses a decentralized network structure, without a central command and control (C&C) server. Each infected machine in a P2P botnet maintains a list of other trusted computers (including other infected machines), as well as information drop locations and locations where the malware can be updated. Some P2P botnets also use encryption to conceal their communications.

The decentralized nature of P2P botnets makes it harder for security researchers to track and disrupt their activities. Without a central C&C server, it is more difficult for investigators to take down the entire network by targeting a single infected machine. Additionally, the use of encryption can hinder analysis of the botnet's communications. However, this decentralized structure also makes it more difficult for the operator to control the botnet and issue commands to the infected machines.

Technique Identifier

U0902

Technique Tags

Peer-to-peer (P2P) botnets Decentralized network Command and control (C&C) Centralized structure Botnet operator

Code Snippets

Description

This code creates a simple server that listens for incoming connections on port 8000. When a new connection is accepted, the client is added to a list of clients. The server then receives data from the client and sends it to all of the other clients in the list. This allows the clients to communicate with each other in a peer-to-peer fashion, without the need for a central server.

Note that this is just an example, and there are many different ways that a P2P network could be used for a botnet's C&C. This code should not be used in production without further testing and security measures.

import socket

# Create a socket for the server
server_socket = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)

# Bind the socket to a local address
server_socket.bind(("0.0.0.0", 8000))

# Listen for incoming connections
server_socket.listen()

# Create a list to store the clients
clients = []

while True:
  # Accept incoming connections
  client_socket, client_address = server_socket.accept()

  # Add the client to the list of clients
  clients.append(client_socket)

  # Receive data from the client
  data = client_socket.recv(1024)

  # Iterate over the clients and send the data to each of them
  for client in clients:
    client.sendall(data)

Contributors

Additional Resources

External Links

The resources provided below are associated links that will give you even more detailed information and research on current evasion technique. It is important to note that, while these resources may be helpful, it is important to exercise caution when following external links. As always, be careful when clicking on links from unknown sources, as they may lead to malicious content.

Peer-to-Peer Botnets for Beginners - MalwareTech