Maintaining anonymity when performing offensive operations or security assessments is essential in the dynamic field of cybersecurity. Routing traffic through several servers is a common strategy used by malicious actors attempting to avoid detection or by penetration testers mimicking real-world attacks. ProxyChains is among the most powerful tools in this toolbox.
ProxyChains: What Are They?
A UNIX/Linux tool called ProxyChains compels any TCP connection made by a specific application to go via a series of proxies, like SOCKS or HTTP proxies. In essence, this enables you to hide your IP address and send your connection via a number of middlemen before arriving at the destination server. The outcome? increased anonymity and difficulty in determining the request's actual source.
The Operation of ProxyChains
ProxyChains connect to the networking features of dynamically linked programs by altering the dynamic linker settings. It routes outgoing TCP connections via the configured proxy chain after intercepting them. This is how the flow could appear:
To improve anonymity, this method is frequently combined with programs like Tor (The Onion Router). Your IP address is not only hidden but also redirected via a dispersed network of relays operated by volunteers when Tor and ProxyChains are combined.
Real-World Use: Case Study of Russian Military Cyber Actors (2024)
According to a joint advisory released by CISA, Russian military cyber actors used ProxyChains in combination with tools like CrackMapExec. Their goal was to avoid detection while automating evaluations of sizable Active Directory networks. These threat actors were able to spoof internal victim IP addresses and move covertly across networks by chaining proxies together.
The practical use of proxy chaining in actual cyber operations is demonstrated by this incident, which highlights how adversaries employ these tools to obtain deeper access to vital infrastructure in addition to evading detection.
Example Configuration
ProxyChains’ configuration file is usually located at /etc/proxychains.conf. Here’s a basic snippet of how the file might be set up:
ProxyList format: [type] [IP] [port]
You can add multiple proxies and even define the chaining method:
• Dynamic Chain: Tries proxies in the order listed, skipping any that fail.
• Strict Chain: Must use proxies in the order listed, throws errors if one fails.
• Random: Uses a random proxy each time.
NOTE: Guys, proxychains is a tool that is only full supported in Linux distributions and no other.
Hands-On with ProxyChains
Let’s say you want to use Nmap through ProxyChains.
Run the below command in linux terminal.
proxychains nmap -sT -Pn scanme.nmap.org
Or to run Firefox through it:
ProxyChains: Why Use Them?
ProxyChains may be used by cybersecurity experts for the following reasons:
• Anonymity: conceal your initial IP address.
• Get around IP-based limitations: Avoid IP filtering and geo-blocking.
• Evade Detection: Assists in keeping attackers and pentesters hidden.
• Chaining with Tor: By navigating the Tor network, this method increases anonymity even more.
Limitations
ProxyChains has certain drawbacks in spite of its advantages:
• It only functions with TCP traffic.
• Has the potential to drastically slow down connections.
• Needs proxy lists to be manually updated.
• Incompatible with binaries that are statically compiled.
Conclusion
In conclusion, proxychains are an effective addition to any cybersecurity toolkit, especially when stealth and anonymity are crucial. Whether you work as a cyber researcher, pentester, or red teamer, knowing how to use ProxyChains can help you learn about adversarial tactics and, more crucially, how to counter them.
Remain covert. Remain safe.
References:
• CISA Advisory on Russian Cyber Activity
• The Evolution and Abuse of Proxy Networks
The information and methods presented above are all solely for educational purposes. Their purpose is to alert readers to the dangers that exist on the internet. IT IS A CRIME TO HACK WITHOUT PERMISSION. The author and publisher of this article are not in any way liable for the actions of any readers.
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