Cybersecurity researchers presented a new tool called Pythia, aimed at searching and detecting malicious infrastructure. Pythia introduces a standardized request format that can be easily adapted for use across various infrastructure search platforms.
The primary objective of Pythia is to assist security specialists in identifying potentially harmful assets before they are exploited by attackers. This is particularly crucial in today’s digital landscape, where the longevity of traditional incriminating indicators (IOCs) is diminishing, and cybercriminals are increasingly employing automated deployment of numerous infrastructures.
Pythia enables researchers to generate requests in a uniform format, which can then be effortlessly converted for utilization on platforms like Shodan, Censys, Fofa, Binaryedge, Zoomeye, and Hunter. This simplifies the process of validating and enhancing search results.
Key features of Pythia include:
- Standardized requests format
- Scripts for request validation
- Converters for supported platforms
- Ability to search directly through the platforms’ APIs
- Shared repository of infrastructure search requests
The Pythia request format encompasses fields such as a title, a unique identifier, status, description, links, tags, author, and creation date. The request itself comprises parameters (field-value pairs) and conditions that link parameters using logical operators.
The developers of Pythia stress that the tool is currently in the beta testing phase and encourage community involvement in its ongoing development. Future plans include expanding the supported platforms and adding to the repository of queries.
Pythia stands to be a valuable addition to existing cybersecurity tools, including SNORT for network traffic, Yara for files, and Sigma for log files. Leveraging Pythia will enable researchers to more efficiently pinpoint potential threats and thwart attacks at early stages.
To get started with Pythia, individuals can simply clone the GitHub repository, install necessary dependencies, and launch the tool via the command line interface. Detailed documentation is also provided by the developers to aid in creating requests and utilizing various features of Pythia.