Hijacked host

## Description

This occurs when a trojan has invaded the computer as a result of a security exposure. For example, the machine may have been connected to the Internet while it had a trivial password. A hijacker has broken into the system by applying the hundred most frequently used passwords to the "root" administrator ID, and one of them matched. He has installed the trojan, and it will abuse the host by using its computing resources and its bandwidth. Hijacking is an illegal, criminal act in any country.

## Sample hijacked IPs

The IP addresses hosting more that 100 sites per day in August / September are

```
185.24.232.98 at  SERVEBYTE.COM in Dublin, Ireland
95.165.27.205 & 95.165.149.124 at Moscow Local Telephone Network spd-mgts.ru

```

### October 2020 - September 2021

EvaPharmacy NAME SERVER examples with abuse reporting address

```
2.184.67.164 abuse*@*ito.gov.ir
5.101.140.77 abuse*@*ukservers.com
37.46.135.24 abuse*@*abusehost.ru
95.165.27.205 abuse*@*spd-mgts.ru
103.9.158.67 cuong.trinh*@*vnso.vn thao.nguyen*@*vnso.vn
103.28.149.174 support*@*easyway.co.id
103.83.192.109 abuse.support*@*h4g.in
103.92.25.124 info*@*tlsoft.vn system*@*tlsoft.vn
103.117.141.163 abuse*@*casbay.com
103.121.91.117 id*@*bkns.vn
103.126.6.161 abuse*@*serverstack.in
103.127.31.154 noc*@*microhost.com
103.139.42.59 abuse*@*tnd.vn
103.146.23.100 info*@*lanit.com.vn
103.147.153.123 abuse*@*shineservers.com
103.147.153.126 abuse*@*shineservers.com
103.157.224.90  abuse*@*dhruva.cloud
103.228.114.93 odeoninfra*@*gmail.com
103.236.150.106 abuse*@*serverkeren.com
103.236.201.228 admin@idcloudhost.com
103.242.117.197 sales*@*machiwala.in
112.78.10.214 vanht*@*ods.vn (REMOVED)
185.130.206.6 abuse*@*as61317.net (REMOVED)
198.27.110.97 abuse*@*ovh.ca (REMOVED)
198.211.33.45 abuse*@*sugarhosts.com
200.55.243.166  radhios*@*gmail.com  (syt.com)
202.145.2.67 abuse*@*uninet.net.id
209.127.28.5 abuse*@*servermania.com (REMOVED)
103.138.96.86 hello*@*hostitsmart.in (REMOVED)
103.221.220.169 hiendm*@*viettelidc.com.vn hm-changed*@*vnnic.vn (REMOVED)
146.247.49.105 https://my.netcetera.co.uk (REMOVED)
178.239.177.183 abuse*@*irideos.it (REMOVED)
27.124.85.93 abuse*@*medialink.net.id  (REMOVED)
45.86.163.7 support*@*crowncloud.net  (REMOVED)
82.199.101.248 zapros*@*seven-sky.net (REMOVED)
93.119.105.5 abuse*@*virtono.com   (REMOVED)
94.156.175.107 abuse*@*iws.co (REMOVED)
103.42.58.58 support*@*tgs.com.vn  (REMOVED)
103.42.58.61 support*@*tgs.com.vn (REMOVED)
103.8.26.45 abuse*@*internet-webhosting.com   (REMOVED)
119.59.123.55 hoanglong*@*azdigi.com thachpham*@*azdigi.com (REMOVED)
130.185.72.89 support*@*parspack.com REMOVED
171.244.143.163 soc*@*viettel.com.vn (REMOVED)
180.131.147.100- abuse*@*nawala.org (REMOVED)
185.140.249.133 contact*@*buzinessware.com (REMOVED)

```

EvaPharmacy HOSTING sites with abuse address

```
5.188.211.29 abuse*@*pindc.ru
51.89.151.227 abuse*@*ovh.net
51.222.136.197 abuse*@*ovh.ca
84.200.77.180 abuse*@*accelerated.de
95.165.27.205 abuse@spd-mgts.ru
95.165.145.236 abuse*@*spd-mgts.ru
95.165.149.124 abuse*@*spd-mgts.ru
95.31.40.41 abuse-b2b*@*beeline.ru
103.135.128.72 abuse*@*gogetspace.com
103.139.42.59 abuse*@*tnd.vn
103.30.246.103 abuse*@*cbtp.co.id
185.24.232.98 abuse*@*servebyte.com
185.227.136.203 abuse*@*digiturunc.com

```

```
5.133.12.14 5.133.12.15 5.133.12.16 abuse@artnet.pl (REMOVED)
5.181.158.179  abuse@mivocloud.com (REMOVED)
5.187.52.12  artnet.pl/kontakt (REMOVED)
45.86.163.7  support@crowncloud.net (REMOVED)
45.119.41.11 45.119.41.12 45.119.41.14 abuse@swisslayer.com (REMOVED)
82.199.101.44  zapros@seven-sky.net (REMOVED)
82.199.101.248  zapros@seven-sky.net (REMOVED)
80.233.134.249  abuse@telia.lv (REMOVED)
87.120.253.209  abuse@neterra.net (REMOVED)
89.222.128.42  abuse@netorn.ru (REMOVED)
93.119.105.5  abuse@virtono.com (REMOVED)
89.222.128.42 abuse@netorn.ru (REMOVED)
94.156.175.107  abuse@iws.co (REMOVED)
103.8.26.45  abuse@internet-webhosting.com (REMOVED)
103.42.58.58  support@tgs.com.vn (REMOVED)
103.42.58.61  support@tgs.com.vn (REMOVED)
103.92.25.124  info@tlsoft.vn system@tlsoft.vn (REMOVED)
103.221.220.169  hiendm@viettelidc.com.vn hm-changed@vnnic.vn (REMOVED)
119.59.123.55  hoanglong@azdigi.com thachpham@azdigi.com (REMOVED)
130.185.72.89  support@parspack.com (REMOVED)
141.98.10.136  admin@serveroffer.lt (REMOVED)
146.247.49.105  https://my.netcetera.co.uk (REMOVED)
159.148.186.165 159.148.186.167  support@serveria.com helpdesk@latnet.eu (REMOVED)
176.123.9.53 176.123.9.60 176.123.9.67  https://support.swisslayer.com (REMOVED)
185.9.158.37  abuse@spd.net.tr (REMOVED)
185.24.232.134 abuse*@*servebyte.com (REMOVED)
185.99.3.68  abuse@global.ba (REMOVED)
185.128.42.106 185.128.42.108 185.128.43.22 185.128.43.54  abuse@rackend.net (REMOVED)
185.140.249.133  contact@buzinessware.com (REMOVED)
185.140.249.133  contact@buzinessware.com (REMOVED)
185.183.104.124  abuse@m247.ro (REMOVED)

```

Where to contact the compromised hosting ISP:

```
Abuse contact for '5.45.80.0 - 5.45.83.255' is 'abuse@ispiria.net'
Abuse contact for '5.133.12.14 - 5.133.12.15' is 'abuse@artnet.pl'
Abuse contact for '5.181.158.0 - 5.181.158.255' is 'abuse@mivocloud.com'
Abuse contact for '5.187.48.0 - 5.187.55.255' is 'abuse@artnet.pl'
Abuse contact for '5.253.60.0 - 5.253.63.255' is 'abuseto@adminvps.ru'
Abuse contact for '31.200.247.0 - 31.200.247.255' is 'ripe@unelink.com'
Abuse contact for '45.86.163.0 - 45.86.163.255' is 'support@crowncloud.net'
Abuse contact for '45.125.65.0 - 45.125.65.255' is 'abuse@tele-asia.net'
Abuse contact for '79.172.193.0 - 79.172.193.255' is 'abuse@deninet.hu'
Abuse contact for '82.199.104.0 - 82.199.107.254' is 'abuse@seven-sky.net'
Abuse contact for '84.200.77.0 - 84.200.77.255' is 'abuse@accelerated.de'
Abuse contact for '85.254.72.0 - 85.254.72.255' is 'support@serveria.com'
Abuse contact for '89.222.128.0 - 89.222.131.255' is 'abuse@netorn.net' 'netorn.ru'
Abuse contact for '93.119.104.0 - 93.119.105.255' is 'abuse@virtono.com'
Abuse contact for '94.152.0.0 - 94.152.255.255' is 'abuse@kei.pl'
Abuse contact for '95.84.128.0 - 95.84.159.255' is 'abuse@rt.ru'
Abuse contact for '95.165.0.0 - 95.165.255.255' is 'abuse@spd-mgts.ru'
Abuse contact for '103.86.48.0 - 103.86.48.255' is 'abuse@bangmodhosting.com'
Abuse contact for '103.146.22.0 - 103.146.23.255' is 'hm-changed@vnnic.vn duc@lanit.com.vn'
Abuse contact for '112.78.0.0 - 112.78.15.255' is 'vanht@ods.vn'
Abuse contact for '130.185.72.0 - 130.185.72.255' is 'report@parspack.com'
Abuse contact for '119.59.96.0 - 119.59.127.255' is 'abuse@metrabyte.cloud'
Abuse contact for '141.98.10.0 - 141.98.10.255' is 'admin@serveroffer.lt'
Abuse contact for '146.247.49.0 - 146.247.49.255' is 'abuse@netcetera.co.uk'
Abuse contact for '159.148.186.0 - 159.148.186.255' is 'support@serveria.com'
Abuse contact for '185.24.232.0 - 185.24.232.255' is 'abuse@servebyte.com'
Abuse contact for '185.128.40.0 - 185.128.43.255' is 'abuse@rackend.net'
Abuse contact for '185.140.248.0 - 185.140.249.255' is 'contact@buzinessware.com'
Abuse contact for '185.182.105.0 - 185.182.105.255' is 'abuse@digiturunc.com'
Abuse contact for '185.227.136.0 - 185.227.136.255' is 'abuse@digiturunc.com'
Abuse contact for '200.55.243.128/26' is 'syt.com web site'
Abuse contact for '212.34.128.0 - 212.34.159.255' is 'abuse@axarnet.es'

```

### Example - ServeByte

ServeByte Dedicated Servers, Ireland

```
agatheprudi.ru has address 185.24.232.98
ailaandrei.ru has address 185.24.232.98
aileedredi.ru has address 185.24.232.98
ailsunyetta.ru has address 185.24.232.98
angelinesteffi.ru has address 185.24.232.98
antoninazarla.ru has address 185.24.232.98
ardisjadara.ru has address 185.24.232.98

```

### Example - SPD-MGTS

Moscow Local Telephone Network (OAO MGTS), Russia

```
onlinepharmshop.ru has address 95.165.149.124
purefamilymall.su has address 95.165.149.124
purepharmbargain.ru has address 95.165.149.124
purepharmmart.su has address 95.165.149.124
purepharmreward.su has address 95.165.149.124

```

### Example - Digi Turunc

Digi Turunc, Istanbul - digiturunc.com

```
goodcarequality.com has address 185.182.105.220
goodcarequality.su has address 185.182.105.220
goodrxstore.su has address 185.182.105.220
healthiestmens.com has address 185.182.105.220
hotnaturaleshop.ru has address 185.182.105.220
laurainebrenda.com has address 185.182.105.220

```

```
stormibeverie.com has address 185.227.136.205
theherbalwebmart.su has address 185.227.136.205
theprivateinc.su has address 185.227.136.205
yourherbalgroup.su has address 185.227.136.205
yourpillprogram.su has address 185.227.136.205

```

```
healingrxassist.ru has address 185.227.136.203
herbalrxmart.ru has address 185.227.136.203
homefastelement.su has address 185.227.136.203
homefastmall.su has address 185.227.136.203
homefastservices.su has address 185.227.136.203

```

### Operating Systems - October 2010

In October 2010, the same hijacking process was still in use. Sample operating systems detected were

* Apache/2.2.4 (Unix) PHP/5.2.1
* thttpd/2.25b 29dec2003
* Microsoft-IIS/6.0
* WebNet Modulex Web Server (c) 1998-2004 IO Technologies A/S
* Apache/2.2.3 (CentOS)
* Apache/2.2.9 (Debian) PHP/5.2.6-1+lenny8 with Suhosin-Patch mod\_python/3.3.1 Python/2.5.2 mod\_perl/2.0.4 Perl/v5.10.0
* Apache/2.2.9 (Ubuntu) PHP/5.2.6-2ubuntu4.1 with Suhosin-Patch

## Notifying somebody about the intrusion

A typical example: vegasinternationalcasino.com. This is a scam that is redirected from a disposable domain.

```
xasisar.com 210.172.161.135
name servers:
NS1.NERIEMLARIS.COM 202.82.63.68
NS2.HARTONGSHE.COM 210.115.61.211

```

(if you don't know how to get these IP addresses, one way is shown in the chapter Hijacked\_host#Sending)

### Do a whois look-up of the IP addresses

You can try with dnsstuff.com, but it might not give the addresses. In most cases it is useful: put the IP address in the "IPWHOIS Lookup" field, and when you get the results, click the link to show the email addresses.

The following example uses the Unix commands.

```
whois 210.172.161.135

```

gives no email address but a code *TW184JP* for [Technical Contact] - so use command:

```
whois -h whois.nic.ad.jp TW184JP

```

Let's go to 202.82.63.68 - relevant details from the whois output:

```
% [whois.apnic.net node-2]
tech-c: TA114-AP

```

There are also other tech-c lines later but we'll see this is enough. Use command:

```
whois -h whois.apnic.net TA114-AP

```

And you'll get

```
tech-c: NOC18-AP
tech-c: JL1059-AP
tech-c: DL430-AP
(and their addresses)

```

Actually in this case the NOC address was already in the first reply, but that isn't always enough. Also, usually you don't have to use a specific WHOIS server - for example:

```
whois TA114-AP

```

but I used it here as a "worst case" example. In the case of TW184JP the server was absolutely necessary.

### Sending

Send these people friendly messages that their customers should clean up the computer at that IP address immediately and make it more secure in the future, by changing administrator passwords. Sample messages follow for each type of hijack operation.

If you like, you can give them extra info:

* In the case of WWW, give them the domain address, because most spamversites don't work with raw IP. In many cases the spammers cycle "their" servers so fast that this info will be obsolete by the time your message is read, but it gives credibility anyway. For example:
	+ dig +trace kidbopcd.com

```
kidbopcd.com.           600     IN      A       200.170.112.252

```

* in the case of name servers, add the DNS lookup that lead you to the IP, for example:
	+ dig +trace kidbopcd.com

```
kidbopcd.com.           172800  IN      NS      ns1.obtundert.com.
kidbopcd.com.           172800  IN      NS      ns1.suffoccateter.com.
kidbopcd.com.           172800  IN      NS      ns2.excentriccod.com.
kidbopcd.com.           172800  IN      NS      ns2.terkclass.com.

```

* + dig ns1.obtundert.com

```
ns1.obtundert.com.      172422  IN      A       203.129.232.82

```

* + and so on...
* in the case of image servers, paste from the main page source a link to a picture, for example:
	+ http://95.154.241.38:8080/images/mcp/logo.jpg

## Example of hijacking

For information on the hijacking of Windows machines, see the sections on Storm and Botnet hosting.

This section describes hijacking of Linux machines.

On February 28th, 2007, one of Alex Polyakov's My Canadian Pharmacy web sites was running using these hijacks

Name Server configuration
 ns1.perceivablenut.com
 ns2.grisaillesag.com
 ns2.transitstars.com

Hijacked web and image servers

**Summary**

Two compromised machines are used as proxy name servers at [63.223.11.14] and [210.34.0.101]

Two compromised machines are used as proxy web server [163.14.20.71] and proxy image server [85.17.4.29]

In October/November 2007, the image server strategy changed. Instead of being spread over up to 5 image server IPs at a time, rotating 3 or 4 times a day, there was just one fixed address for all image serving:

```
**88.255.90.42** running Server: Apache/2.2.3 (Fedora)

```

This IP address is at the top end of a range administered in Turkey

```
inetnum:        88.255.90.0 - 88.255.90.255
netname:        AbdAllah_Internet
descr:          AbdAllah Internet Hizmetleri
descr:          Etnografya Muze mevkii Kirazlik Mh. No:32 Rize

```

The person responsible for that IP range is given as

```
person:         Mahmod AbdAllah el Gashmi
address:        AbdAllah Internet Hizmetleri
e-mail:         ipadmin@ahlen.biz
phone:          +90 543 3767728

```

The complaints department is listed as

```
Routing and peering issues: ipadmin@ahlen.biz
SPAM and Network security issues: abuse@ahlen.biz
Customer support: ipadmin@ahlen.biz
General information: ipadmin@ahlen.biz

```

Attempts to contact this ISP and their upstream provider, Turk Telecom have so far been fruitless. The contact details for Turk Telecom are listed as

```
role:           TT Administrative Contact Role
address:        Turk Telekom
address:        Bilisim Aglari Dairesi
address:        Aydinlikevler
address:        06103 ANKARA
phone:          +90 312 313 1950
fax-no:         +90 312 313 1949
e-mail:         abuse@ttnet.net.tr

```

### Sample Hijacked Web Server alert message

```
Please read this message carefully.

You are receiving this email because you are responsible for IP address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

Your contact email address is listed at
> whois xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address

The machine at this address has been hijacked, and an extra process called "uirqd"
has been installed.
This process is running many web sites as shown by the command

ping example.com
> Pinging example.com [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx] with 32 bytes of data
or by visiting http://example.com

Action required

1. locate the machine at this IP address
2. change the root and any administrator passwords to make them more secure
3. shutdown the machine, and restart

Alternatively, you can issue the commands to display the process id and kill it:

ps wax | grep "irqd"
kill <pid>
 [where <pid> is the process-id displayed by the ps command]

If you are not the administrator, please forward this information
to the administrator.

```

```
Thank you from the Pharmacy Alert Security Team

```

### Sample Hijacked Image server alert message (**Obsolete**)

```
Please read this message carefully.

You are receiving this email because you are responsible for IP address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

Your email address is listed at
https://ipinfo.io/xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx#block-abuse

The machine at this address has been hijacked, and an extra process has been installed.
This process is running many web sites as shown by these URLs:

http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:8080/images/mcp/pp_general.jpg
http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:8080/images/mcp/logo.jpg

Action required

1. locate the machine at this IP address
2. change the root and any administrator passwords to make them more secure
3. shutdown the machine, and restart

Alternatively, you can issue the commands to display the process id and kill it:

ps wax | grep "tirqd"
kill <pid>
 [where <pid> is the process-id displayed by the ps command]

If you are not the administrator, please forward this information to the administrator.

Thank you from the Pharmacy Alert Security Team

```

### Sample Hijacked Name Server alert message

```
Please read this information carefully. It concerns a security breach
on your computer

On your IP address at xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx there is a trojan proxy name server installed,
 that is being used by a pharmacy spamming gang to provide access to illegal web sites.

You can prove it with this link

https://dnsquery.org/dnstraversal/fraudsitename/A
>> ns1.*dnsserver1.com* [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx] << your address
>> ns2.*serverdsn2.com* [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx] << your address

DISCOVERY AND REMOVAL
To discover the name of the trojan, you need to find the user process
attached on udp port 53 (DNS)

  fuser -n udp 53

The response will contain the pid of the process, for example 1234
Use that process ID to find the name, for example using the Linux command

ps wax | grep 1234

You will find it there. You can issue the "kill" command to terminate it.

One possible name that is use by the hackers for the trojan is uirqd but it may vary.

For a trojan to be installed, there is usually a trivial password used on the root or
administrator account.
It should be changed to a non-trivial password to avoid further break-ins,
before deleting the trojan process.

If you are not the administrator for this machine, please forward on these instructions.

Thank you from
The Pharmacy Alert Security Team

```

### Relentless pursuit

You can even follow up later: if those people are alert, or if the spammers change the IP for another reason, you can repeat this with the new IP.

## Known hijacking operations

Operations that are known for persistent hijacking of name servers, web site servers and image servers are

* My Canadian Pharmacy
* CanadianPharmacy
* Canadian Health&Care Mall
* Canadian Family Pharmacy
* Canadian Neighbor Pharmacy
* International Legal RX
* US Drugs
* VIP Pharmacy
* CVSPharmacy
* Men Health