Methodical Attacks on SSH
There was recently a jump in attempts to guess login names and passwords on systems running SSH in a number of networks. These attacks weren't exploiting the OpenSSH encryption bug discovered recently but the patterns demonstrate how attackers can use low profile methodical approaches to reduce the chance of locking out accounts.
SecurityFocus reports:
"From the most recent reports I have seen, the attackers have been using either 'low and slow' style attacks to avoid locking out accounts and/or being detected ... (or) using botnets to do a distributed style attack which also is not likely to exceed thresholds common on the network," Scott Fendley, a handler at the SANS Internet Storm Center and university network administrator, wrote in an ISC advisory.
It's worth noting that machines that were compromised were used to set up for botnet communication. Bots begetting bots. With improvements in their obfuscation techniques this type of attack could help grow botnets quickly.
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