Detecting DDoS attacks, BotNet activity, and visits to specific resources using triggers in QoE
Triggers are used to search data in QoE Stor based on specified parameters. When a trigger fires, one of the following actions can occur:
-
HTTP action
Email notification
Required SSG DPI options:
Required additional modules:
Example: configuring a trigger to detect the source of a Flood-type DDoS attack
Trigger name: “DDOS source detection”, days of the week – all, check frequency – 1 hour, trigger activation frequency – once, start and end times not set.
Every day, the system will perform a check every hour based on the conditions described below.
Queries
In this case, the system analyzes traffic for the selected page during the last 15 minutes.
Conditions
This means the trigger will fire if sessions with lifetimes ≤ 20ms AND more than 1500 sessions from the same IP host are detected.
Error handling
In this configuration, no data will be saved if there are no errors, but if errors occur, information about suspicious sessions will be saved as a table.
Actions
E-mail action
Click the "</>" icon to auto-fill the form
Enter the recipient email address in the “To” field
When triggered, a notification will be sent to the specified email containing the trigger ID, name, status, and report link (saved state).
Notification
The report link can be obtained from the notifications menu.
Select the notification
Click Details
Follow the report link — it will open in a new browser window.
HTTP action
Click "</>" to auto-fill the form, select the method suitable for your ticket system, and enter the URL address.
Keep in mind — values such as session count and packet rate are averaged. Fine-tuning should be performed based on your network specifics.
Example: configuring a trigger to detect the target of a Flood-type DDoS attack
This configuration differs from the previous example in steps 2 and 3 (Queries and Conditions).
Queries
In the report field, select Raw full netflow → Tables → Attacks detection → Top subscribers → Maxi
Conditions
Series — “Flow volume to subscribers, Pct/s” >= 10000
Values such as session count and packet rate are averaged. Fine-tuning should be performed based on your network specifics.
BotNet analysis
This configuration differs from the previous example in steps 2 and 3 (Queries and Conditions).
Queries
Conditions
Since BotNet often uses ports 6667 and 1080 — add each destination/source port by selecting query “B” with “OR” condition, and Flow Pcts/s >= 2000.
In this configuration, the trigger will fire if on any of the ports (6667/1080) the packet rate exceeds 2000 per second.
Values such as session count and packet rate are averaged. Fine-tuning should be performed based on your network specifics.
Detecting subscriber visits to competitor resources
Trigger name: “Interest in competitors”, days of the week – all, check frequency – 1 hour, trigger activation frequency – once, start and end times not set.
Every day, the system will perform a check every hour based on the conditions described below.
Queries
Add “+” field
Name A — select table: Raw clickstream → Tables → Raw clickstream
Name B — select table: Raw full netflow → Tables → Attacks detection → Top hosts IPs → Maxi
Select period from “now – 1 hour” to “now”
This setup analyzes traffic hourly based on the selected tables.
Conditions
Add 3 “+” fields
First field — select table “A”; Link – “OR”; Function – “avg”; Series Host = *megafon.ru (or your competitor)
Second field — select table “B”; Link – “AND”; Function – “avg”; Series Flow volume from subscriber, Pct/s >= 800
The trigger will fire if at least 800 packets (indicating a meaningful visit) from a subscriber to a competitor’s website are detected.
Error handling
In this configuration, no data will be saved if there are no errors, but if errors occur, information about suspicious sessions will be saved as a table.
Actions
E-mail action
When triggered, an email containing notification details — ID, trigger name, status, and report link (saved state) — will be sent to the specified address.
Notification
The report link can be obtained from the notifications menu.
Select the notification
Click Details
Follow the report link — it will open in a new browser window.
HTTP action
Keep in mind — values such as session count and packet rate are averaged. Fine-tuning should be performed based on your network specifics.