Hacker-controlled variant of Mad Libs, a famous word game, created using DNS-based malware and network infrastructure for a distributed version
In the world of internet infrastructure, DNS (Domain Name System) plays a crucial role in translating human-friendly domain names into IP addresses that computers can understand. Recently, a project called DNS Mad Libs has emerged, utilising DNS in an innovative way that showcases both its versatility and the potential for misuse.
DNS Mad Libs, created by Michael "B'ad Samurai" Bunner, uses a long Time To Live (TTL) for DNS records. This technique allows the system to maintain DNS responses in cache for extended periods, conveying more information than typically expected within the DNS responses.
Normally, TTL specifies how long a DNS record is cached before the client must query again. By setting a long TTL, DNS Mad Libs ensures that the data embedded in DNS records remains available for retrieval over a longer timespan, reducing reload frequency and enabling the encoding of more complex or extended information in the DNS record payload.
This use of extended TTL values allows DNS Mad Libs to effectively store information beyond typical DNS record purposes. By keeping that information consistently cached and accessible, DNS Mad Libs uses the DNS cache mechanism itself as a storage or communication channel.
However, it's important to note that the long TTL values need to be carefully managed to avoid violating DNS standards or causing issues with DNSSEC signatures. They must be within acceptable TTL ranges, generally up to a maximum of 2147483647 seconds, as enforced by resolvers like Knot Resolver and PowerDNS.
DNS Mad Libs also utilises public API endpoints over HTTPS to retrieve data from a trusted service, obscuring the true source of the data. This approach, while not inherently malicious, does highlight the potential for misuse in DNS technology.
The project is inspired by previous research on the use of DNS TXT records to store and retrieve data. By setting unusually high TTLs, DNS Mad Libs holds richer or more voluminous data in DNS records than typical caching behaviour would allow.
In summary, DNS Mad Libs uses a long TTL on DNS records to keep them cached longer, enabling the stealthy storage or transmission of more or larger data within the DNS system than normally possible. This innovative use of DNS technology underscores its flexibility and the importance of careful configuration to prevent potential misuse.
[1] Knot DNS: https://www.knot-dns.cz/docs/knot/latest/ [2] PowerDNS: https://www.powerdns.com/documentation/ [3] DNSSEC Signatures: https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc4033.txt
- The innovative project, DNS Mad Libs, leverages technology by utilizing a long Time To Live (TTL) for DNS records, thereby storing and transmitting more data within the DNS system through cybersecurity means, such as Knot DNS and PowerDNS.
- DNS Mad Libs, utilizing data-and-cloud-computing strategies, extends the TTL values to maintain DNS responses in cache for longer periods, highlighting the potential for misuse in DNS technology as it employs HTTPS public API endpoints to obfuscate the true source of data.
