Configuration Management / Quote of the Day (QOTD) Service Detection

Description

The Quote of the Day (QOTD) service is a simple network service that provides a server with a quote or a piece of information when a client connects to it. The service operates on UDP port 17 or TCP port 17. QOTD is part of the Internet protocol suite and is defined in RFC 865.

Risk

The QOTD service can be exploited for amplification attacks, where an attacker sends a small request to the QOTD server, and the server responds with a larger quote. This can be abused to generate a significant amount of traffic for a relatively small initial request.
In some cases, attackers may flood QOTD servers with a large number of requests, leading to resource exhaustion on the target system or the network.

Solution

Disable Unused Services: If the QOTD service is not needed for legitimate purposes, consider disabling it on servers and network devices. This reduces the attack surface and minimizes the risk of abuse.
Firewall Configuration: Implement firewalls to control incoming and outgoing traffic on UDP and TCP port 17. Restrict access to the QOTD service based on security policies and requirements.
Rate Limiting: Implement rate-limiting mechanisms on network devices to prevent excessive requests to the QOTD service. This can help mitigate the risk of amplification attacks and resource consumption.
Update and Patch: Ensure that servers and network devices are kept up-to-date with the latest security patches. This helps address any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers targeting the QOTD service.