Here we implement an Intrusion detection system (IDS) in ns-3 it consists of setup a network topology then capturing the network traffic, and evaluating the traffic to identify the malevolent activities. The given below are the procedure on how to implement a general IDS in ns3 environment.
Step-by-Step Implementation
- Install ns-3
To make sure ns3 installed on your system and we can download it from official website.
- Define the Network Topology
Define the network topology containing:
- Normal nodes (legitimate users)
- Attacker nodes
- Server nodes
- IDS nodes (nodes used to capture and analyze traffic)
- Create Network Nodes
Create network nodes using NodeContainer.
NodeContainer normalNodes, attackerNodes, serverNodes, idsNodes;
normalNodes.Create(3);
attackerNodes.Create(1);
serverNodes.Create(1);
idsNodes.Create(1);
- Set Up Network Devices
Install network devices on the nodes using appropriate network interfaces, such as WiFi for wireless communication.
WifiHelper wifi;
wifi.SetStandard(WIFI_PHY_STANDARD_80211n_5GHZ);
WifiMacHelper mac;
mac.SetType(“ns3::AdhocWifiMac”);
YansWifiPhyHelper phy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();
YansWifiChannelHelper channel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();
phy.SetChannel(channel.Create());
NetDeviceContainer normalDevices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, normalNodes);
NetDeviceContainer attackerDevices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, attackerNodes);
NetDeviceContainer serverDevices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, serverNodes);
NetDeviceContainer idsDevices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, idsNodes);
- Configure Mobility Model
Set up the mobility model for the nodes.
MobilityHelper mobility;
mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);
mobility.Install(normalNodes);
mobility.Install(attackerNodes);
mobility.Install(serverNodes);
mobility.Install(idsNodes);
- Set Up Packet Capture
Configure packet capture on the IDS nodes. Use PcapHelper to capture packets.
PcapHelper pcapHelper;
Ptr<PcapFileWrapper> file = pcapHelper.CreateFile(“ids_capture.pcap”, std::ios::out, PcapHelper::DLT_PPP);
for (uint32_t i = 0; i < idsDevices.GetN(); ++i) {
phy.EnablePcap(“ids_capture”, idsDevices.Get(i), true, true);
}
- Implement IDS Application
Create an application that analyzes captured packets to detect intrusions. Below is an example of a simple IDS application that detects a high rate of packets as an indication of a DoS attack.
IDS Application (Example)
class IDSApplication : public Application {
public:
void StartApplication() override {
recvSocket = Socket::CreateSocket(GetNode(), UdpSocketFactory::GetTypeId());
recvSocket->Bind(InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address::GetAny(), listenPort));
recvSocket->SetRecvCallback(MakeCallback(&IDSApplication::HandleRead, this));
}
void SetListenPort(uint16_t port) {
listenPort = port;
}
void HandleRead(Ptr<Socket> socket) {
Ptr<Packet> packet;
Address from;
while ((packet = socket->RecvFrom(from))) {
packetsReceived++;
double currentTime = Simulator::Now().GetSeconds();
if (currentTime – lastTime > interval) {
if (packetsReceived > threshold) {
std::cout << “Potential DoS attack detected. Packets received in last “
<< interval << ” seconds: ” << packetsReceived << std::endl;
}
packetsReceived = 0;
lastTime = currentTime;
}
}
}
private:
Ptr<Socket> recvSocket;
uint16_t listenPort;
uint32_t packetsReceived = 0;
double lastTime = 0.0;
double interval = 1.0; // Check every 1 second
uint32_t threshold = 100; // Threshold for packet count
};
- Set Up Applications
Install the applications on the nodes.
ApplicationContainer normalApps, attackerApps, serverApps, idsApps;
// Normal node applications (e.g., sending normal traffic)
for (uint32_t i = 0; i < normalNodes.GetN(); ++i) {
OnOffHelper onoff(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(serverNodes.Get(0)->GetObject<Ipv4>()->GetAddress(1, 0).GetLocal(), 9));
onoff.SetConstantRate(DataRate(“500kb/s”));
ApplicationContainer app = onoff.Install(normalNodes.Get(i));
app.Start(Seconds(1.0));
app.Stop(Seconds(20.0));
normalApps.Add(app);
}
// Attacker node applications (e.g., DoS attack)
for (uint32_t i = 0; i < attackerNodes.GetN(); ++i) {
OnOffHelper onoff(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(serverNodes.Get(0)->GetObject<Ipv4>()->GetAddress(1, 0).GetLocal(), 9));
onoff.SetConstantRate(DataRate(“10Mb/s”));
ApplicationContainer app = onoff.Install(attackerNodes.Get(i));
app.Start(Seconds(5.0));
app.Stop(Seconds(20.0));
attackerApps.Add(app);
}
// Server node application (e.g., packet sink)
PacketSinkHelper sink(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address::GetAny(), 9));
serverApps.Add(sink.Install(serverNodes.Get(0)));
// IDS node application
Ptr<IDSApplication> idsApp = CreateObject<IDSApplication>();
idsApp->SetListenPort(9);
idsNodes.Get(0)->AddApplication(idsApp);
idsApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(1.0));
idsApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(20.0));
idsApps.Add(idsApp);
serverApps.Start(Seconds(1.0));
serverApps.Stop(Seconds(20.0));
- Set Up Routing Protocols
Configure routing protocols for the network.
AodvHelper aodv;
InternetStackHelper internet;
internet.SetRoutingHelper(aodv);
internet.Install(normalNodes);
internet.Install(attackerNodes);
internet.Install(serverNodes);
internet.Install(idsNodes);
- Assign IP Addresses
Assign IP addresses to the network devices.
Ipv4AddressHelper address;
address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer normalInterfaces = address.Assign(normalDevices);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer attackerInterfaces = address.Assign(attackerDevices);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer serverInterfaces = address.Assign(serverDevices);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer idsInterfaces = address.Assign(idsDevices);
- Run the Simulation
Configure the simulation runtime and execute it.
Simulator::Stop(Seconds(20.0));
Simulator::Run();
Simulator::Destroy();
Example of a Simple IDS Network Script
Here we provide the sample script to complete the intrusion detection simulation process in ns-3 environment:
#include “ns3/core-module.h”
#include “ns3/network-module.h”
#include “ns3/internet-module.h”
#include “ns3/wifi-module.h”
#include “ns3/mobility-module.h”
#include “ns3/applications-module.h”
#include “ns3/aodv-module.h”
using namespace ns3;
class IDSApplication : public Application {
public:
void StartApplication() override {
recvSocket = Socket::CreateSocket(GetNode(), UdpSocketFactory::GetTypeId());
recvSocket->Bind(InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address::GetAny(), listenPort));
recvSocket->SetRecvCallback(MakeCallback(&IDSApplication::HandleRead, this));
}
void SetListenPort(uint16_t port) {
listenPort = port;
}
void HandleRead(Ptr<Socket> socket) {
Ptr<Packet> packet;
Address from;
while ((packet = socket->RecvFrom(from))) {
packetsReceived++;
double currentTime = Simulator::Now().GetSeconds();
if (currentTime – lastTime > interval) {
if (packetsReceived > threshold) {
std::cout << “Potential DoS attack detected. Packets received in last “
<< interval << ” seconds: ” << packetsReceived << std::endl;
}
packetsReceived = 0;
lastTime = currentTime;
}
}
}
private:
Ptr<Socket> recvSocket;
uint16_t listenPort;
uint32_t packetsReceived = 0;
double lastTime = 0.0;
double interval = 1.0; // Check every 1 second
uint32_t threshold = 100; // Threshold for packet count
};
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
NodeContainer normalNodes, attackerNodes, serverNodes, idsNodes;
normalNodes.Create(3);
attackerNodes.Create(1);
serverNodes.Create(1);
idsNodes.Create(1);
// WiFi setup
WifiHelper wifi;
wifi.SetStandard(WIFI_PHY_STANDARD_80211n_5GHZ);
WifiMacHelper mac;
mac.SetType(“ns3::AdhocWifiMac”);
YansWifiPhyHelper phy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();
YansWifiChannelHelper channel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();
phy.SetChannel(channel.Create());
NetDeviceContainer normalDevices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, normalNodes);
NetDeviceContainer attackerDevices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, attackerNodes);
NetDeviceContainer serverDevices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, serverNodes);
NetDeviceContainer idsDevices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, idsNodes);
// Mobility setup
MobilityHelper mobility;
mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);
mobility.Install(normalNodes);
mobility.Install(attackerNodes);
mobility.Install(serverNodes);
mobility.Install(idsNodes);
// Internet stack and routing
AodvHelper aodv;
InternetStackHelper internet;
internet.SetRoutingHelper(aodv);
internet.Install(normalNodes);
internet.Install(attackerNodes);
internet.Install(serverNodes);
internet.Install(idsNodes);
Ipv4AddressHelper address;
address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer normalInterfaces = address.Assign(normalDevices);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer attackerInterfaces = address.Assign(attackerDevices);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer serverInterfaces = address.Assign(serverDevices);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer idsInterfaces = address.Assign(idsDevices);
// Set up packet capture
PcapHelper pcapHelper;
Ptr<PcapFileWrapper> file = pcapHelper.CreateFile(“ids_capture.pcap”, std::ios::out, PcapHelper::DLT_PPP);
for (uint32_t i = 0; i < idsDevices.GetN(); ++i) {
phy.EnablePcap(“ids_capture”, idsDevices.Get(i), true, true);
}
// Install applications
ApplicationContainer normalApps, attackerApps, serverApps, idsApps;
// Normal node applications (e.g., sending normal traffic)
for (uint32_t i = 0; i < normalNodes.GetN(); ++i) {
OnOffHelper onoff(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(serverNodes.Get(0)->GetObject<Ipv4>()->GetAddress(1, 0).GetLocal(), 9));
onoff.SetConstantRate(DataRate(“500kb/s”));
ApplicationContainer app = onoff.Install(normalNodes.Get(i));
app.Start(Seconds(1.0));
app.Stop(Seconds(20.0));
normalApps.Add(app);
}
// Attacker node applications (e.g., DoS attack)
for (uint32_t i = 0; i < attackerNodes.GetN(); ++i) {
OnOffHelper onoff(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(serverNodes.Get(0)->GetObject<Ipv4>()->GetAddress(1, 0).GetLocal(), 9));
onoff.SetConstantRate(DataRate(“10Mb/s”));
ApplicationContainer app = onoff.Install(attackerNodes.Get(i));
app.Start(Seconds(5.0));
app.Stop(Seconds(20.0));
attackerApps.Add(app);
}
// Server node application (e.g., packet sink)
PacketSinkHelper sink(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address::GetAny(), 9));
serverApps.Add(sink.Install(serverNodes.Get(0)));
// IDS node application
Ptr<IDSApplication> idsApp = CreateObject<IDSApplication>();
idsApp->SetListenPort(9);
idsNodes.Get(0)->AddApplication(idsApp);
idsApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(1.0));
idsApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(20.0));
idsApps.Add(idsApp);
serverApps.Start(Seconds(1.0));
serverApps.Stop(Seconds(20.0));
Simulator::Stop(Seconds(20.0));
Simulator::Run();
Simulator::Destroy();
return 0;
}
By the conclusion, we all learned how to implement the Intrusion detection system in ns3 environment and also provide the full coding and implementation support for all Intrusion Detection System environment.
