outbound_ping
Explanation
When threat actors first compromise a host, they often ping internet resources to verify connectivity. A spurious ping can be subtle and hard to detect because end users may make frequent pings from their workstations or while troubleshooting. However, under normal circumstances pings to the Internet may not be expected from network infrastructure, servers, and IOT/OT devices.
The outbound_ping NDM is opt-in and must be manually enabled, and can detect internet bound ping activity. It is most useful if a discard has been configured to ignore pings from workstations or other network segments where they are common.
What to Look For
If an internet bound ping is observed from a device where it is not expected, the first thing to ascertain is whether an authorized administrator is using that device. If the ping cannot be explained, it might be an indicator of compromise, and further investigation is warranted.
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Updated 13 days ago