What are Domain Fronting attacks and how to protect against them using
proxies?
Cyber criminals may attempt to steal confidential data using various methods,
including Domain Fronting attacks. So let's take a look at what this technology is and
how you can protect yourself from these attacks.
Domain Fronting Attacks: The Specificity
Domain Fronting is a technique used to bypass Internet censorship by concealing the
real address of the server from which a request originates by spoofing the request
headers. This method evades blocking by making the filtering system think that the
request is coming from one domain when in fact it is coming from another.
Originally, this technique was used to circumvent censorship in countries where the
Internet is heavily controlled. However, attackers have also started using Domain
Fronting to hide their activities and bypass security systems.
How can you protect yourself from Domain Fronting attacks using proxies?
Here are a few ways to protect yourself from this type of attack:
- Using DPI (Deep Packet Inspection). Use Deep Packet Inspection to detect
domain fronting attacks. DPI can recognize unusual traffic patterns and block
such attacks.
- Traffic filtering at the DNS level. It will prevent requests to known domains
that are used for Domain Fronting.
- Configure firewall rules. This will assist in blocking traffic that matches
Domain Fronting attack patterns.
- Using proxy servers with SSL/TLS support. Switching to HTTPS and using
proxies which analyze SSL and TLS traffic will also help detect such attacks.
Acting as an intermediary, a proxy allows requests to be sent first to itself and
then to a website. This masks the IP address, maintaining anonymity and security.
Proxies provide a high level of inspection and control, verifying the contents and
destination of the traffic. They also allow you to configure rules to block or allow
certain types of traffic.
Conclusion
To prevent Domain Fronting attacks, it is crucial to use proxies that offer thorough
traffic analysis and reliable security features. Proxies can be configured to verify
host names in incoming traffic's HTTP headers. For optimal security, it is
recommended to frequently update proxies and review settings, as attackers may
exploit new attack attempts.