Compute
Elastic Cloud Server
Huawei Cloud Flexus
Bare Metal Server
Auto Scaling
Image Management Service
Dedicated Host
FunctionGraph
Cloud Phone Host
Huawei Cloud EulerOS
Networking
Virtual Private Cloud
Elastic IP
Elastic Load Balance
NAT Gateway
Direct Connect
Virtual Private Network
VPC Endpoint
Cloud Connect
Enterprise Router
Enterprise Switch
Global Accelerator
Management & Governance
Cloud Eye
Identity and Access Management
Cloud Trace Service
Resource Formation Service
Tag Management Service
Log Tank Service
Config
OneAccess
Resource Access Manager
Simple Message Notification
Application Performance Management
Application Operations Management
Organizations
Optimization Advisor
IAM Identity Center
Cloud Operations Center
Resource Governance Center
Migration
Server Migration Service
Object Storage Migration Service
Cloud Data Migration
Migration Center
Cloud Ecosystem
KooGallery
Partner Center
User Support
My Account
Billing Center
Cost Center
Resource Center
Enterprise Management
Service Tickets
HUAWEI CLOUD (International) FAQs
ICP Filing
Support Plans
My Credentials
Customer Operation Capabilities
Partner Support Plans
Professional Services
Analytics
MapReduce Service
Data Lake Insight
CloudTable Service
Cloud Search Service
Data Lake Visualization
Data Ingestion Service
GaussDB(DWS)
DataArts Studio
Data Lake Factory
DataArts Lake Formation
IoT
IoT Device Access
Others
Product Pricing Details
System Permissions
Console Quick Start
Common FAQs
Instructions for Associating with a HUAWEI CLOUD Partner
Message Center
Security & Compliance
Security Technologies and Applications
Web Application Firewall
Host Security Service
Cloud Firewall
SecMaster
Anti-DDoS Service
Data Encryption Workshop
Database Security Service
Cloud Bastion Host
Data Security Center
Cloud Certificate Manager
Edge Security
Situation Awareness
Managed Threat Detection
Blockchain
Blockchain Service
Web3 Node Engine Service
Media Services
Media Processing Center
Video On Demand
Live
SparkRTC
MetaStudio
Storage
Object Storage Service
Elastic Volume Service
Cloud Backup and Recovery
Storage Disaster Recovery Service
Scalable File Service Turbo
Scalable File Service
Volume Backup Service
Cloud Server Backup Service
Data Express Service
Dedicated Distributed Storage Service
Containers
Cloud Container Engine
SoftWare Repository for Container
Application Service Mesh
Ubiquitous Cloud Native Service
Cloud Container Instance
Databases
Relational Database Service
Document Database Service
Data Admin Service
Data Replication Service
GeminiDB
GaussDB
Distributed Database Middleware
Database and Application Migration UGO
TaurusDB
Middleware
Distributed Cache Service
API Gateway
Distributed Message Service for Kafka
Distributed Message Service for RabbitMQ
Distributed Message Service for RocketMQ
Cloud Service Engine
Multi-Site High Availability Service
EventGrid
Dedicated Cloud
Dedicated Computing Cluster
Business Applications
Workspace
ROMA Connect
Message & SMS
Domain Name Service
Edge Data Center Management
Meeting
AI
Face Recognition Service
Graph Engine Service
Content Moderation
Image Recognition
Optical Character Recognition
ModelArts
ImageSearch
Conversational Bot Service
Speech Interaction Service
Huawei HiLens
Video Intelligent Analysis Service
Developer Tools
SDK Developer Guide
API Request Signing Guide
Terraform
Koo Command Line Interface
Content Delivery & Edge Computing
Content Delivery Network
Intelligent EdgeFabric
CloudPond
Intelligent EdgeCloud
Solutions
SAP Cloud
High Performance Computing
Developer Services
ServiceStage
CodeArts
CodeArts PerfTest
CodeArts Req
CodeArts Pipeline
CodeArts Build
CodeArts Deploy
CodeArts Artifact
CodeArts TestPlan
CodeArts Check
CodeArts Repo
Cloud Application Engine
MacroVerse aPaaS
KooMessage
KooPhone
KooDrive
Help Center/ Host Security Service/ FAQs/ Brute-force Attack Defense/ How Does HSS Intercept Brute Force Attacks?

How Does HSS Intercept Brute Force Attacks?

Updated on 2025-01-07 GMT+08:00

Types of Detectable Brute Force Attacks

HSS can detect the following types of brute force attacks:

  • Windows: SQL Server and RDP
  • Linux: MySQL, vfstpd, and SSH

If MySQL, vfstpd, or SSH is installed on your server, after HSS is enabled, the agent will add rules to iptables to prevent brute force attacks. If a brute-force attack is detected, its source IP address will be added to the blocking list.

  • Added MySQL rule: IN_HIDS_MYSQLD_DENY_DROP
  • Added vfstpd rule: IN_HIDS_VSFTPD_DENY_DROP
  • Added SSH rule: If SSH on the server does not support the TCP Wrapper interception mode, the SSH uses iptables for interception. Therefore, the IN_HIDS_SSHD_DENY_DROP rule will be added to iptables. If you have configured an SSH login whitelist, the IN_HIDS_SSHD_DENY_DROP and IN_HIDS_SSHD_WHITE_LIST will be added to iptables.
Take the MySQL database as an example. Figure 1 shows the new rule.
Figure 1 Added MySQL rule
NOTICE:

Existing iptables rules are used for blocking brute-force attacks. You are advised to keep them. If they are deleted, HSS will not be able to protect MySQL, vfstpd, or SSH from brute-force attacks.

How Brute Force Attacks Are Intercepted

Brute-force attacks are a type of common intrusion attacks. Attackers submit many server passwords until eventually guessing correctly and gaining control over a server.

HSS uses brute-force detection algorithms and an IP address blacklist to effectively prevent brute-force attacks and block attacking IP addresses. The blocking duration is 12 hours. If a blocked IP address does not perform brute-force attacks in the default blocking duration, it will be automatically unblocked. HSS supports 2FA to authenticate user identity, effectively preventing attackers from hacking accounts.

You can set common login IP addresses and SSH IP address whitelist that will not be blocked.

NOTE:

If HSS detects account cracking attacks on servers using Kunpeng EulerOS (EulerOS with Arm), it does not block the source IP addresses and only generates alarms. The SSH login IP address whitelist does not take effect for such servers.

Alarm Policies

  • If a hacker successfully cracks the password and logs in to a server, a real-time alarm will be immediately sent to specified recipients.
  • If a brute-force attack and risks of account hacking are detected, a real-time alarm will be immediately sent to specified recipients.
  • If a brute-force attack is detected and failed, and no unsafe settings (such as weak passwords) are detected on the server, no real-time alarms will be sent. HSS will summarize all attacks in a day in its daily alarm report. You can also view blocked attacks on the Detection & Response > Alarms page of the HSS console.

Viewing Brute Force Cracking Detection Results

  1. Log in to the management console.
  2. In the upper left corner of the page, select a region, click , and choose Security & Compliance > HSS.
  3. In the navigation pane, choose Detection & Response > Alarms.
  4. View the brute force cracking detection result of the server or container.

    • View the brute force cracking detection result of the server.
      1. Click the Server Alarms tab.
      2. In the Alarm Types area, select Abnormal User Behavior > Brute-force attacks to view alarm event records on the protected server.
      3. Click the value in the Blocked IP Addresses area to view the blocked attack source IP address, attack type, blocking status, blocking times, blocking start time, and latest blocking time.
        • Blocked indicates the brute-force attack has been blocked by HSS.
        • Canceled indicates you have unblocked the source IP address of the brute force attack.
          NOTE:

          The default blocking duration is 12 hours. If a blocked IP address does not perform brute-force attacks in the default blocking duration, it will be automatically unblocked.

    • View the brute force cracking detection result of a container.
      1. Click the Container Alarms tab.
      2. In the Alarm Types area, select Abnormal User Behavior > Brute-force attacks to view alarm event records on the protected container.

Managing Blocked IP Addresses

  • If a server is frequently attacked, you are advised to fix its vulnerabilities in a timely manner and eliminate risks.

    You are advised to enable 2FA, and configure common login IP addresses and the SSH login IP whitelist.

  • If a valid IP address is blocked by mistake (for example, after O&M personnel enter incorrect passwords for multiple times), manually unblock the IP address.
    NOTICE:

    If you manually unblocked an IP address, but incorrect password attempts from this IP address exceed the threshold again, this IP address will be blocked again.

We use cookies to improve our site and your experience. By continuing to browse our site you accept our cookie policy. Find out more

Feedback

Feedback

Feedback

0/500

Selected Content

Submit selected content with the feedback