Malware

SSH-Snake Malware

Cybersec Sentinel

Feb 22, 2024 • 2 min read

Overview

SSH-Snake is a sophisticated malware that targets SSH (Secure Shell) services. It is a self-propagating, self-replicating, file-less script designed for post-exploitation tasks such as SSH private key and host discovery. Its main goal is to automate the discovery and exploitation of SSH services by utilizing found private keys to access and execute commands on remote systems, thereby spreading across the network.

Recent Activity

Recent discussions and analyses have highlighted SSH-Snake's capabilities and the potential risks it poses to systems with SSH services enabled. It operates by scanning for SSH private keys on a compromised system, using those keys to attempt connections to other systems, and repeating this process to spread across the network. This behavior makes SSH-Snake particularly dangerous as it can rapidly move laterally across networks, compromising multiple hosts with minimal detection.

Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)

The IoCs for SSH-Snake primarily revolve around suspicious SSH activity and unexpected SSH key usage. Specific technical details and IoCs are not explicitly listed in public sources but can be inferred based on SSH-Snake's behavior:

Unusual outbound SSH connections originating from internal systems.
Discovery of SSH private keys being used in an anomalous manner.
Logs indicating SSH connections to unfamiliar hosts or at odd times.
File-less activity patterns that are characteristic of self-replicating scripts.

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate the risks posed by SSH-Snake and similar threats, organizations should implement the following strategies:

SSH Key Management: Regularly review and rotate SSH keys to minimize the risk of unauthorized use.
Network Segmentation: Limit the spread of such malware by segmenting networks and restricting SSH access between segments.
Monitoring and Logging: Enhance monitoring of SSH traffic and review logs for unusual connection patterns that may indicate malicious activity.
Use of SSH Bastion Hosts: Implement SSH bastion hosts to control and monitor SSH access to internal systems.
Disable Root SSH Access: Disable SSH login for the root user and use individual accounts for system administration to reduce the impact of credential compromise.

References

Below is a list of reference websites and their URLs that were used or mentioned in the process of compiling information on the SSH-Snake malware:

GitHub - SSH Hacking Topics: This page includes a variety of repositories related to SSH security, including tools and scripts that could be leveraged against threats like SSH-Snake.
- URL: https://github.com/topics/ssh-hacking
HackTricks - Pentesting SSH/SFTP: Offers detailed insights into SSH/SFTP penetration testing techniques, which can be useful for understanding potential vulnerabilities SSH-Snake might exploit.
- URL: https://book.hacktricks.xyz

These resources provide a broad view of SSH security challenges and solutions, which might help in further understanding and mitigating malware like SSH-Snake.