A Suspicious Port Sweep detection indicates potential reconnaissance activity where an attacker scans multiple ports on one or more hosts to identify open and potentially vulnerable services. This is often a precursor to more targeted attacks as it helps attackers map the network and identify potential entry points.
Scenario 1: An internal host generates a high volume of SYN packets to a range of ports on various servers within the network. Investigation reveals that the host is compromised, and the attacker is mapping the network to identify exploitable services.
Scenario 2: A security team runs a scheduled vulnerability assessment, triggering the detection of a suspicious port sweep. The activity is verified as benign after confirming with the IT department.
If this detection indicates a genuine threat, the organization faces significant risks:
Successful identification of open ports and services can lead to exploitation of vulnerabilities, resulting in unauthorized access.
High volume of port scanning can cause network congestion and impact the performance of network devices and services.
Information gathered from port sweeps can be used by attackers to refine their strategies, increasing the risk of targeted attacks.
Examine firewall, IDS/IPS, and server logs to identify the source and scope of the port sweep. Look for patterns and repeated attempts.
Determine whether the scanning activity originates from an internal or external host. Check if the source IP address is known and trusted.
Look for other suspicious activities linked to the source IP, such as failed login attempts, unusual network traffic, or malware alerts.
Verify if any authorized security assessments or network monitoring activities were being conducted during the time of detection.
A Suspicious Port Sweep involves scanning multiple ports on one or more hosts within a network to identify open and potentially vulnerable services, often indicative of reconnaissance activities by attackers.
Common signs include sequential or random scanning patterns, multiple connection attempts within a short timeframe, and incomplete connection attempts (SYN packets without ACK responses).
Yes, legitimate vulnerability assessments, network monitoring tools, and administrative scripts can generate port sweeps that may trigger this detection.
Vectra AI uses advanced AI algorithms and machine learning to analyze network traffic patterns and identify anomalies indicative of port sweeping activities.
It can lead to potential network intrusion, resource exhaustion, and increased risk of targeted attacks due to the exposure of open and vulnerable services.
Detect Suspicious Port Sweeps by monitoring for patterns of multiple connection attempts to various ports, high volumes of SYN packets without corresponding ACK packets, and scanning activities from single sources.
They can reveal open and vulnerable services to attackers, potentially leading to unauthorized access, exploitation of vulnerabilities, and subsequent targeted attacks.
Investigate the source and scope of the scanning activity, check for associated suspicious activities, review logs, and consult with IT and security teams to verify if the activity is legitimate.
Tools such as firewall and IDS/IPS logs, network traffic analysis tools, and SIEM solutions can help verify and investigate suspicious port sweep activities.
Implement robust network monitoring and alerting, enforce strict access controls, regularly conduct security assessments, and ensure timely patching and updating of services to minimize vulnerabilities.