System and method of detecting hidden processes by analyzing packet flows

• US 10,623,282 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2016
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deen, Khawar, Yadav, Navindra, Gupta, Anubhav, Gandham, Shashidhar, Prasad, Rohit Chandra, Singh, Abhishek Ranjan, Chang, Shih-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Lagor, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US15/171,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20160359879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
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Abstract

A method includes capturing first data associated with a first packet flow originating from a first host using a first capture agent deployed at the first host to yield first flow data, capturing second data associated with a second packet flow originating from the first host from a second capture agent deployed outside of the first host to yield second flow data and comparing the first flow data and the second flow data to yield a difference. When the difference is above a threshold value, the method includes determining that a hidden process exists and corrective action can be taken.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing first data associated with a first packet flow originating from a first host using a first capture agent deployed at the first host to yield first flow data;

capturing second data associated with a second packet flow originating from the first host from a second capture agent deployed at a second host to yield second flow data, wherein the first capture agent is deployed at a first layer of a network and the second capture agent is deployed at a second layer of the network, wherein the first layer and the second layer are different layers;

comparing the first flow data and the second flow data to yield a difference;

when the difference is above a threshold value, yielding a determination, the determination including that the second packet flow includes a hidden process and the second packet flow was transmitted by a component that bypassed an operating stack of the first host; and

taking a corrective action based on the determination, the corrective action including isolating a container, isolating a virtual machine, or isolating the first host.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data comprise metadata associated respectively with the first packet flow and the second packet flow.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises first packet content of the first packet flow and the second data comprise second packet content of the second packet flow.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first flow data and the second flow data are captured at a collector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a collector receives the first flow data and the second flow data and performs the step of comparing the first flow data and the second flow data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the first host as a generator of the hidden process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first flow data and the second flow data comprise network data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting a presence of a malicious entity within the first host based on the determination.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the corrective action is shutting down the first host.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the corrective action includes one or more of limiting packets to and from the first host, requiring all packets to and from the first host to flow through the operating stack of the first host, or notifying an administrator.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

capturing first data associated with a first packet flow originating from a first host using a first capture agent deployed at the first host to yield first flow data;

capturing second data associated with a second packet flow originating from the first host from a second capture agent deployed on a second host to yield second flow data, wherein the first capture agent is deployed at a first layer of a network and the second capture agent is deployed at a second layer of the network, wherein the first layer and the second layer are different layers;

comparing the first flow data and the second flow data to yield a difference;

when the difference is above a threshold value, yielding a determination, the determination including that the second packet flow was transmitted by a component that bypassed an operating stack of the first host and the second packet flow includes a hidden packet; and

taking a limiting action associated with a flow of packets to or from the first host based on the determination, the limiting action including isolating a container, isolating a virtual machine, or isolating the first host.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first data and the second data comprise metadata associated respectively with the first packet flow and the second packet flow.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first data comprises first packet content of the first packet flow and the second data comprise second packet content of the second packet flow.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first flow data and the second flow data are captured at a collector.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein a collector receives the first flow data and the second flow data and performs the step of comparing the first flow data and the second flow data.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations include predicting a presence of a malicious entity within first host or the second host based on determination.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the limiting action comprises one of limiting packets to and from the first host, requiring all packets to and from the first host to flow through the operating stack of the first host, shutting down the first host, or notifying an administrator.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device that stores instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

capturing first data associated with a first packet flow originating from a first host using a first capture agent deployed at the first host to yield first flow data;

capturing second data associated with a second packet flow originating from the first host from a second capture agent deployed at a second host to yield second flow data, wherein the first capture agent is deployed at a first layer of a network and the second capture agent is deployed at a second layer of the network, wherein the first layer and the second layer are different layers;

comparing the first flow data and the second flow data to yield a difference;

when the difference is above a threshold value, yielding a determination, the determination including that the second packet flow was transmitted by a component that bypassed an operating stack of the first host and the second packet flow includes a hidden packet; and

taking a limiting action associated with a flow of packets to or from the first host based on the determination, the limiting action including isolating a container, isolating a virtual machine, or isolating the first host.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the first data and the second data comprise metadata associated respectively with the first packet flow and the second packet flow.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the first packet flow and the second packet flow are captured at a collector, the collector configured to perform the comparing of the first packet flow and the second packet flow and to yield the difference.