Network Security - Drop TCP packets with the SYN and FIN flag combination

Information

One of the ways to determine the operating system type and version is to send non-standard packet types and analyze the target's response. This technique is referred to as TCP/IP Stack Fingerprinting. One of the common packet types used in the process is a TCP packet with both the SYN and FIN ags set. This is obviously an invalid packet since the SYN flag is used during the initial set up of a connection and the FIN flag is used when a session is being closed.

Packets with the TCP SYN-FIN flags set can also be used for other nefarious purposes and should be dropped. Although this invalid TCP flag combination could be blocked using a firewall filter, Junos also has an option under [system internet-options] hierarchy to drop these packets at the kernel level.

Solution

Configure the system to drop SYN and FIN packets.

user@host# edit system internet-options
user@host# set tcp-drop-synfin-set

See Also

http://www.juniper.net/us/en/training/jnbooks/day-one/fundamentals-series/hardening-junos-devices-checklist/

Item Details

Category: SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|SC-5

Plugin: Juniper

Control ID: 45dc3f97207d087e5ca55f027241805c846ebf41ceb4d1d0b8f3a987a406307d