NF – Punycode COM ore DK domain used in certicifate

This alert is triggered when a DNS query from the internal network attempts to resolve a Punycode domain ending in .com or .dk. Punycode encoding is used in internationalized domain names, but it can also be exploited in phishing attacks by creating visually similar domains

Categories:

ID Number

5023352

Signature

alert tcp $HOME_NET any -> $EXTERNAL_NET 443 (msg:"NF - Punycode COM ore DK domain used in certicifate"; flow:to_server,established; ssl_state:client_hello; pcre:"/xn--[a-z0-9\-]{1,256}(.com|.dk)/i"; reference:url,www.xudongz.com/blog/2017/idn-phishing; reference:url,networkforensic.dk; metadata:18042017; classtype:bad-unknown; sid:5023352; rev:1;)

Severity

Low

Recommendations/Investigative actions

Investigate the source of communication: Identify the device or process that initiated this connection, as it may indicate unauthorized activity. Block the connection: Prevent further communication with the detected domain, especially if Punycode domains are unnecessary in this network. Inspect the device for potential phishing or malware: Check for signs of compromise on the device that attempted the connection, as it may have interacted with a phishing site.