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Reseach Article

Setting a Worm Attack Warning by using Machine Learning to Classify NetFlow Data

by Shubair A. Abdulla, Sureswara Ramadass, Altyeb Altaher, Amer Al Nassiri
International Journal of Computer Applications
Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
Volume 36 - Number 2
Year of Publication: 2011
Authors: Shubair A. Abdulla, Sureswara Ramadass, Altyeb Altaher, Amer Al Nassiri
10.5120/4467-6258

Shubair A. Abdulla, Sureswara Ramadass, Altyeb Altaher, Amer Al Nassiri . Setting a Worm Attack Warning by using Machine Learning to Classify NetFlow Data. International Journal of Computer Applications. 36, 2 ( December 2011), 49-56. DOI=10.5120/4467-6258

@article{ 10.5120/4467-6258,
author = { Shubair A. Abdulla, Sureswara Ramadass, Altyeb Altaher, Amer Al Nassiri },
title = { Setting a Worm Attack Warning by using Machine Learning to Classify NetFlow Data },
journal = { International Journal of Computer Applications },
issue_date = { December 2011 },
volume = { 36 },
number = { 2 },
month = { December },
year = { 2011 },
issn = { 0975-8887 },
pages = { 49-56 },
numpages = {9},
url = { https://ijcaonline.org/archives/volume36/number2/4467-6258/ },
doi = { 10.5120/4467-6258 },
publisher = {Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA},
address = {New York, USA}
}
%0 Journal Article
%1 2024-02-06T20:22:07.417313+05:30
%A Shubair A. Abdulla
%A Sureswara Ramadass
%A Altyeb Altaher
%A Amer Al Nassiri
%T Setting a Worm Attack Warning by using Machine Learning to Classify NetFlow Data
%J International Journal of Computer Applications
%@ 0975-8887
%V 36
%N 2
%P 49-56
%D 2011
%I Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
Abstract

We present a worm warning system that leverages the reliability of IP-Flow and the effectiveness of machine learning techniques. Our system aims at setting an alarm in case a node is behaving maliciously. Typically, a host infected by a scanning or an email worm initiates a significant amount of traffic that does not rely on DNS to translate names into numeric IP addresses. Based on this fact, we capture and classify NetFlow records to extract features that uniquely identify worm's flow. The features are encapsulated into a set of feature patterns to train the support vector machines (SVM). A feature pattern includes: no of DNS requests, no of DNS responses, no of DNS normals, and no of DNS anomalies, for each PC on the network within a certain period of time. The SVM training is performed by using five of the most dangerous scanning worms: CodeRed, Slammer, Sasser, Witty, and Doomjuice as well as five email worms: Sobig, NetSky, MyDoom, Storm and Conficker. Eleven worms have been used during the test: Welchia, Dabber, BlueCode, Myfip, Nimda, Sober, Bagle, Francette, Sasser, MyDoom, and Conficker. The results of experiments manifest the soundness of the worm warning system.

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Index Terms

Computer Science
Information Sciences

Keywords

Intrusion detection systems NetFlow Support vector machines Scanning worms Email worms