ASA/IPS FAQ:How does IPS display untranslated real IP addresses in event logs?

Introduction

This document explains how the Cisco Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) displays untranslated real IP addressess in the event logs, although the Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) sends traffic to the IPS after it performs Network Address Translation (NAT).

Background Information

Topology

• The Private IP address of the server: 192.168.1.10
• The Public IP address of the server (Natted):  203.0.113.2
• The attacker's IP address: 203.0.113.10
  
  

  

How does IPS display untranslated real IP addresses in event logs?

Explanation

When the ASA sends a packet to IPS, it encapsulates that packet into a Cisco ASA/Security Services Module (SSM) Backplane Protocol header. This header contains a field that represents the real IP address of the inside user behind the ASA.

These logs show an attacker that sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets to the public IP address of the server, 203.0.113.2. The packet captured on the IPS shows that the ASA punts the packets to IPS after performing NAT.

IPS# packet display PortChannel0/0
Warning: This command will cause significant performance degradation
tcpdump: WARNING: po0_0: no IPv4 address assigned
tcpdump: verbose output suppressed, use -v or -vv for full protocol decode
listening on po0_0, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), capture size 65535 bytes
03:40:06.239024 IP 203.0.113.10 > 192.168.1.10: ICMP echo request, id 512, seq 
31232, length 40
03:40:06.239117 IP 203.0.113.10 > 192.168.1.10: ICMP echo request, id 512, seq 
31232, length 40
03:40:06.239903 IP 203.0.113.2 > 203.0.113.10: ICMP echo reply, id 512, seq 
31232, length 40
03:40:06.239946 IP 203.0.113.2 > 203.0.113.10: ICMP echo reply, id 512, seq 
31232, length 40

Here are the event logs on IPS  for ICMP Request packets from the attacker.
 

evIdsAlert: eventId=6821490063343  vendor=Cisco  severity=informational  
  originator:   
    hostId: IPS  
    appName: sensorApp  
    appInstanceId: 1305  
  time: Dec 24, 2014 03:43:57 UTC  offset=0  timeZone=UTC  
  signature:   description=ICMP Echo Request  id=2004  version=S666  type=other  
  created=20001127  
    subsigId: 0  
    sigDetails: ICMP Echo Request  
  interfaceGroup: vs0  
  vlan: 0  
  participants:   
    attacker:   
      addr: 203.0.113.10  locality=OUT  
    target:   
      addr: 192.168.1.10  locality=OUT  
      os:   idSource=unknown  type=unknown  relevance=relevant  
  alertDetails: InterfaceAttributes:  context="single_vf" physical="Unknown" 
  backplane="PortChannel0/0" ;  
  riskRatingValue: 35  targetValueRating=medium  attackRelevanceRating=relevant  
  threatRatingValue: 35  
  interface: PortChannel0/0  context=single_vf  physical=Unknown  backplane=
  PortChannel0/0  
  protocol: icmp 

Here are the event logs on IPS  for ICMP Reply from the  inside server.

evIdsAlert: eventId=6821490063344  vendor=Cisco  severity=informational  
  originator:   
    hostId: IPS  
    appName: sensorApp  
    appInstanceId: 1305  
  time: Dec 24, 2014 03:43:57 UTC  offset=0  timeZone=UTC  
  signature:   description=ICMP Echo Reply  id=2000  version=S666  type=other  
  created=20001127  
    subsigId: 0  
    sigDetails: ICMP Echo Reply  
  interfaceGroup: vs0  
  vlan: 0  
  participants:   
    attacker:   
      addr: 192.168.1.10  locality=OUT  
    target:   
      addr: 203.0.113.10  locality=OUT  
      os:   idSource=unknown  type=unknown  relevance=relevant  
  alertDetails: InterfaceAttributes:  context="single_vf" physical="Unknown" 
  backplane="PortChannel0/0" ;  
  riskRatingValue: 35  targetValueRating=medium  attackRelevanceRating=relevant  
  threatRatingValue: 35  
  interface: PortChannel0/0  context=single_vf  physical=Unknown  backplane=
  PortChannel0/0  
  protocol: icmp 

Here are captures collected on the ASA Data Plane.

   1: 09:55:50.203267       203.0.113.10 > 192.168.1.10: icmp: echo request
   2: 09:55:50.203877       203.0.113.2 > 203.0.113.10: icmp: echo reply
   3: 09:55:51.203541       203.0.113.10 > 192.168.1.10: icmp: echo request
   4: 09:55:51.204182       203.0.113.2 > 203.0.113.10: icmp: echo reply

Decoded ASA Data Plane Captures.

Related Information

• Cisco Intrusion Prevention System Sensor CLI Configuration Guide for IPS 7.1
• Packet Flow through Cisco ASA Firewall
• Technical Support & Documentation - Cisco Systems