Analyzing the availability of fast-flux based service network under countermeasures

Fast-flux based service network is first introduced as a technique used to improve the reliability and quality of a service system. But recently, this technique is also adopted by cyber-criminals and Internet miscreants to evade identification and to frustrate law enforcement and anticrime efforts aimed at locating and shutting down the illegal service. Previous work on this topic focuses mostly on detecting and measuring existing fast-flux based service networks ignoring the most import property provided by them-high availability under countermeasures. This paper attacks the availability problem of fast-flux based service network under countermeasures. In this paper, counter-system is taken into account and a model of these networks under countermeasures is presented. Based on this model, two evaluating factors of availability are proposed. By using reliability theory and queuing theory, this paper also performs a study of typical fast-flux based networks and their availability. Results show that both employed strategies and users´ network environment have significant impacts on the availability of fast-flux based service network.