DNS rebinding attacks subvert the same-origin policy of browsers and convert them into open network proxies. We survey new DNS rebinding attacks that exploit the interaction between the browser and browser plug-ins such as Flash and Java LiveConnect. These attacks can be used to circumvent firewalls and are highly cost-effective for sending spam e-mail and defrauding pay-per-click advertisers, requiring less than $100 to temporarily hijack 100,000 IP addresses. We show that a well-known, existing defense against these attacks, called “DNS pinning,” is ineffective in modern browsers. The primary focus of this work, however, is the design of strong defenses against DNS rebinding attacks that protect modern browsers.

At Stanford.

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