// Mirror for gateway -> victim direction if (ip->daddr == gateway_ip) build_arp_reply(victim_ip, attacker_mac, gateway_ip, &spoof_arp); dev_queue_xmit(...);
If you find an unexpected module, rmmod karp – but a real attacker will hide it via rootkit techniques. kArp demonstrates a simple truth: moving attacks from user space to kernel space increases reliability and evades kill‑‑9 . Red teams can use this to persist on compromised routers or jump hosts. Defenders must move beyond process monitoring to kernel integrity checks (e.g., tripwire for modules, IMA, or eBPF-based LSM hooks).
If you’ve ever used arpspoof (from dsniff) or bettercap , you know they work well—but they operate in . This means packet injection involves context switches, libpcap overhead, and occasional race conditions. kArp Linux Kernel Level ARP Hijacking Spoofing Utility
Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes and authorized security testing only. ARP spoofing is illegal without explicit permission from the network owner. Do not run this on networks you do not own or lack written authorization for.
Enter : a proof-of-concept Linux Kernel Module (LKM) that performs ARP hijacking directly from NF_INET_POST_ROUTING and NF_INET_LOCAL_IN Netfilter hooks. By staying in kernel space, kArp achieves microsecond-level response times and deterministic spoofing. // Mirror for gateway -> victim direction if
The module creates no /proc or /sys entry – detection requires lsmod | grep karp or brute-force Netfilter hook enumeration. Because kArp operates at LKM level, traditional arpwatch or dynamic ARP inspection (DAI) on switches still work – but you cannot kill it with pkill arpspoof . What Defends Against kArp? | Defense | Effective? | Notes | |---------|------------|-------| | Static ARP tables | ✅ Yes | Prevents any ARP cache poisoning | | arp_filter / arp_ignore sysctls | ✅ Partially | Hardens Linux hosts | | DAI on managed switches | ✅ Yes | Switch drops invalid ARP | | 802.1X + port security | ✅ Yes | Prevents module load on endpoint | | LSM (SELinux) blocking insmod | ✅ Yes | Kernel module loading restricted | Detecting kArp on a Host # List all Netfilter hooks (requires root) cat /proc/net/netfilter/nf_hooks | grep -B2 karp Check for unknown kernel modules lsmod | grep -v "^Module|^usb|^video"
Stay curious, and hack responsibly.
static unsigned int karphook_post(void *priv, struct sk_buff *skb, const struct nf_hook_state *state)