There seems be an ongoing route leak by AS49505 (Selectel, Russia) for K root server.

K root server’s IP: 193.0.14.129
Origin Network: AS25152

Here’s trace from Airtel Looking Glass, Delhi PoP

The routing information (show route 193.0.14.129 output) from their looking glass doesn’t seems useful since it shows that it’s learning K root Noida route via NIXI. This is likely because routing information is different from actual forwarding information in that device.

So the trace looks extremely weird. It’s leading traffic to K root which does has anycast instance in Noida, landing into Russia!

Why is that happening?

Let’s look at what Tata Communications (AS6453) routing table has for K root’s prefix. I am looking at feed of AS6453 which it’s putting into RIPE RIS RRC 03 collector.

anurag@server7:~/temp$ awk -F ‘|’ ‘$5==6453’ rrc03-table-26-Oct-2015.txt|grep 193.0.14.0/24
TABLE_DUMP_V2|10/26/15 08:00:03|A|80.249.209.167|6453|193.0.14.0/24|6453 20485 49505 25152|IGP
anurag@server7:~/temp$

Let’s analyse this AS_PATH

1. AS25152 is orignating prefix to AS49505 (Selectel Russia)
2. AS49505 is “leaking” route to it’s upstream AS20485 (Trans Telecom, Russia)
3. AS20485 is further propagating route to Tata Communications AS6453 making route visible globally via Tata Communications IP backbone

What impact of it?

Impact is much higher latency with K root from India. Here’s how RIPE Probe 170111 hosted at my home finds latency to K root:

As per graph change, leak started on 24th Oct at 9am UTC and this resulted in jump of latency of over 180ms.

Disclaimer: Post, comments, thoughts and analysis is in personal capacity and in no way linked to my employer.