To implement the network cybersecurity compliance in ns3, we have to create a simulation in which nodes and network structure stick to certain security standards and best practices. These standards are NIST, ISO/IEC, or other regulatory frameworks that define requirements for secure network operations.
Here, we offer the step-by-step approach on how to implement basic network cybersecurity compliance:
Step-by-Step Implementation:
Step 1: Set Up ns3 Environment
- Install ns3: Ensure that ns3 is installed in your computer.
- Familiarize Yourself with ns3: Go through the ns3 tutorial to understand the basic concepts and simulation structure.
Step 2: Define the Network Topology
- Create a Secure Network Topology: Security devices like firewalls and IDS nodes should be in the newly defined network topology. It also has creating multiple nodes, setting up channels, and configuring IP addresses. We’ll use a simple topology with a client, server, firewall, and IDS.
Step 3: Implement Cybersecurity Compliance Mechanisms
Execute cybersecurity compliance, we can use the following strategies:
- Access Control: We can control which nodes can interact by setting the rules.
- Traffic Filtering: With the help of firewalls, we can filter traffic based on predefined rules.
- Encryption: Encrypt data before transmission.
- Logging: Log all significant events for analysis and reporting.
- Compliance Checking: Implement periodic verifies to make certain compliance with security policies.
C++ Code for ns3 Simulation (main.cc)
#include “ns3/core-module.h”
#include “ns3/network-module.h”
#include “ns3/internet-module.h”
#include “ns3/point-to-point-module.h”
#include “ns3/applications-module.h”
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
using namespace ns3;
void LogEvent(const std::string &event)
{
std::ofstream logFile;
logFile.open(“cybersecurity_compliance_log.txt”, std::ios_base::app);
logFile << Simulator::Now().GetSeconds() << “: ” << event << std::endl;
logFile.close();
}
// Compliance checking application
class ComplianceApp : public Application
{
public:
ComplianceApp() {}
virtual ~ComplianceApp() {}
void Setup()
{
}
private:
virtual void StartApplication()
{
// Schedule the first compliance check
Simulator::Schedule(Seconds(10.0), &ComplianceApp::CheckCompliance, this);
}
virtual void StopApplication()
{
}
void CheckCompliance()
{
// Simulate a compliance check
std::cout << “Performing compliance check at ” << Simulator::Now().GetSeconds() << ” seconds.” << std::endl;
LogEvent(“Performing compliance check.”);
// Check if firewall and IDS are active (for demonstration purposes)
Ptr<Node> node = GetNode();
bool firewallActive = node->GetObject<FirewallApp>() != nullptr;
bool idsActive = node->GetObject<IDSApp>() != nullptr;
if (firewallActive)
{
std::cout << “Firewall is active.” << std::endl;
LogEvent(“Firewall is active.”);
}
else
{
std::cout << “Firewall is not active.” << std::endl;
LogEvent(“Firewall is not active.”);
}
if (idsActive)
{
std::cout << “IDS is active.” << std::endl;
LogEvent(“IDS is active.”);
}
else
{
std::cout << “IDS is not active.” << std::endl;
LogEvent(“IDS is not active.”);
}
// Schedule the next compliance check
Simulator::Schedule(Seconds(10.0), &ComplianceApp::CheckCompliance, this);
}
};
// Firewall application
class FirewallApp : public Application
{
public:
FirewallApp() {}
virtual ~FirewallApp() {}
void Setup(Address address, uint16_t port)
{
m_peerAddress = address;
m_peerPort = port;
}
private:
virtual void StartApplication()
{
m_socket = Socket::CreateSocket(GetNode(), TypeId::LookupByName(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”));
m_socket->Bind();
m_socket->Connect(InetSocketAddress(m_peerAddress, m_peerPort));
// Set up the receive callback
m_socket->SetRecvCallback(MakeCallback(&FirewallApp::ReceivePacket, this));
}
virtual void StopApplication()
{
if (m_socket)
{
m_socket->Close();
m_socket = 0;
}
}
void ReceivePacket(Ptr<Socket> socket)
{
Ptr<Packet> packet = socket->Recv();
// Simple firewall rule: drop packets containing “malicious”
uint8_t buffer[1024];
packet->CopyData(buffer, packet->GetSize());
std::string receivedMessage((char *)buffer, packet->GetSize());
if (receivedMessage.find(“malicious”) != std::string::npos)
{
std::cout << “Packet dropped by firewall: ” << receivedMessage << std::endl;
LogEvent(“Packet dropped by firewall: ” + receivedMessage);
}
else
{
std::cout << “Packet allowed by firewall: ” << receivedMessage << std::endl;
LogEvent(“Packet allowed by firewall: ” + receivedMessage);
ForwardPacket(packet);
}
}
void ForwardPacket(Ptr<Packet> packet)
{
m_socket->Send(packet);
}
Ptr<Socket> m_socket;
Address m_peerAddress;
uint16_t m_peerPort;
};
// IDS application
class IDSApp : public Application
{
public:
IDSApp() : m_packetsReceived(0) {}
virtual ~IDSApp() {}
void Setup(Address address, uint16_t port)
{
m_peerAddress = address;
m_peerPort = port;
}
private:
virtual void StartApplication()
{
m_socket = Socket::CreateSocket(GetNode(), TypeId::LookupByName(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”));
m_socket->Bind();
m_socket->Connect(InetSocketAddress(m_peerAddress, m_peerPort));
// Set up the receive callback
m_socket->SetRecvCallback(MakeCallback(&IDSApp::ReceivePacket, this));
}
virtual void StopApplication()
{
if (m_socket)
{
m_socket->Close();
m_socket = 0;
}
}
void ReceivePacket(Ptr<Socket> socket)
{
Ptr<Packet> packet = socket->Recv();
m_packetsReceived++;
// Simple IDS rule: log packets containing “suspicious”
uint8_t buffer[1024];
packet->CopyData(buffer, packet->GetSize());
std::string receivedMessage((char *)buffer, packet->GetSize());
if (receivedMessage.find(“suspicious”) != std::string::npos)
{
std::cout << “Suspicious packet detected by IDS: ” << receivedMessage << std::endl;
LogEvent(“Suspicious packet detected by IDS: ” + receivedMessage);
}
else
{
std::cout << “Normal packet received by IDS: ” << receivedMessage << std::endl;
LogEvent(“Normal packet received by IDS: ” + receivedMessage);
}
}
Ptr<Socket> m_socket;
Address m_peerAddress;
uint16_t m_peerPort;
uint32_t m_packetsReceived;
};
// Secure application
class SecureApp : public Application
{
public:
SecureApp() {}
virtual ~SecureApp() {}
void Setup(Address address, uint16_t port)
{
m_peerAddress = address;
m_peerPort = port;
}
private:
virtual void StartApplication()
{
m_socket = Socket::CreateSocket(GetNode(), TypeId::LookupByName(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”));
m_socket->Bind();
m_socket->Connect(InetSocketAddress(m_peerAddress, m_peerPort));
// Schedule the first packet transmission
Simulator::Schedule(Seconds(1.0), &SecureApp::SendPacket, this);
}
virtual void StopApplication()
{
if (m_socket)
{
m_socket->Close();
m_socket = 0;
}
}
void SendPacket()
{
std::string message = “Secure message”;
Ptr<Packet> packet = Create<Packet>((uint8_t *)message.c_str(), message.size());
m_socket->Send(packet);
// Schedule the next packet transmission
Simulator::Schedule(Seconds(5.0), &SecureApp::SendPacket, this);
}
void ReceivePacket(Ptr<Socket> socket)
{
Ptr<Packet> packet = socket->Recv();
// Print received message (for demonstration purposes)
uint8_t buffer[1024];
packet->CopyData(buffer, packet->GetSize());
std::string receivedMessage((char *)buffer, packet->GetSize());
std::cout << “Received message: ” << receivedMessage << std::endl;
}
Ptr<Socket> m_socket;
Address m_peerAddress;
uint16_t m_peerPort;
};
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
NodeContainer nodes;
nodes.Create(5); // Example: 5 nodes (1 client, 1 server, 1 firewall, 1 IDS, 1 router)
PointToPointHelper pointToPoint;
pointToPoint.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“1Gbps”));
pointToPoint.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“2ms”));
NetDeviceContainer devices1 = pointToPoint.Install(nodes.Get(0), nodes.Get(4)); // Client to Router
NetDeviceContainer devices2 = pointToPoint.Install(nodes.Get(4), nodes.Get(3)); // Router to Firewall
NetDeviceContainer devices3 = pointToPoint.Install(nodes.Get(3), nodes.Get(2)); // Firewall to Server
NetDeviceContainer devices4 = pointToPoint.Install(nodes.Get(4), nodes.Get(1)); // Router to IDS
InternetStackHelper stack;
stack.Install(nodes);
Ipv4AddressHelper address;
address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces1 = address.Assign(devices1);
address.SetBase(“10.1.2.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces2 = address.Assign(devices2);
address.SetBase(“10.1.3.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces3 = address.Assign(devices3);
address.SetBase(“10.1.4.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces4 = address.Assign(devices4);
Ipv4GlobalRoutingHelper::PopulateRoutingTables();
uint16_t port = 9;
Ptr<SecureApp> clientApp = CreateObject<SecureApp>();
clientApp->Setup(InetSocketAddress(interfaces2.GetAddress(1), port), port);
nodes.Get(0)->AddApplication(clientApp);
clientApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(2.0));
clientApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(60.0));
Ptr<FirewallApp> firewallApp = CreateObject<FirewallApp>();
firewallApp->Setup(InetSocketAddress(interfaces3.GetAddress(1), port), port);
nodes.Get(3)->AddApplication(firewallApp);
firewallApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(1.0));
firewallApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(60.0));
Ptr<IDSApp> idsApp = CreateObject<IDSApp>();
idsApp->Setup(InetSocketAddress(interfaces4.GetAddress(1), port), port);
nodes.Get(1)->AddApplication(idsApp);
idsApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(1.0));
idsApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(60.0));
Ptr<SecureApp> serverApp = CreateObject<SecureApp>();
serverApp->Setup(InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address::GetAny(), port), port);
nodes.Get(2)->AddApplication(serverApp);
serverApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(1.0));
serverApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(60.0));
// Compliance application
Ptr<ComplianceApp> complianceApp = CreateObject<ComplianceApp>();
complianceApp->Setup();
nodes.Get(3)->AddApplication(complianceApp); // Add compliance app to firewall node
complianceApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(2.0));
complianceApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(60.0));
Simulator::Run();
Simulator::Destroy();
return 0;
}
Explanation
- Network Topology:
- The network consists of 5 nodes: a client, a server, a firewall, an IDS, and a router.
- The client connects to the router, which forwards packets through the firewall and IDS to the server.
- Logging Function:
- Analyze and reporting the substantial events which logs to a file by LogEvent function.
- FirewallApp Class:
- This application filters packets based on predefined rules.
- Setup method initializes the application with the peer address and port.
- StartApplication method sets up the socket connection and receive callback.
- ReceivePacket method filters packets and forwards allowed packets.
- IDSApp Class:
- This application monitors traffic for apprehensive activity.
- Setup method initializes the application with the peer address and port.
- StartApplication method arrange the socket connection and receive callback.
- ReceivePacket method logs suspicious packets.
- SecureApp Class:
- This application sends and receives secure messages.
- Setup method initializes the application with the peer address and port.
- StartApplication method sets up the socket connection and schedules packet transmission.
- Using SendPacket method, we can send a message to the peer node.
- Use ReceivePacket method to receive and print messages.
- ComplianceApp Class:
- This application accomplishes interrupted compliance checks.
- Setup method initializes the application.
- StartApplication method schedules the first compliance check.
- CheckCompliance method checks if security measures (firewall and IDS) are active and logs the result then, it programs the next compliance check.
- Main Function:
- Creates a network with 5 nodes interconnected with point-to-point links.
- Assign IP addresses for the nodes.
- Prepares the SecureApp, FirewallApp, IDSApp, and ComplianceApp applications on the suitable nodes.
- The client sends secure messages, the firewall filters packets, the IDS monitors traffic, the server receives messages, and the compliance app certifies for security measure activation.
Compile and Run
- Compile the Code: Compile the ns3 simulation code using the following command:
g++ -std=c++11 -o ns3-network-cybersecurity-compliance main.cc `pkg-config –cflags –libs ns3-dev`
- Run the Simulation: Execute the compiled program:
./ns3-network-cybersecurity-compliance
This setup demonstrates a simple implementation of network cybersecurity compliance in ns3. You can expand it further to include more sophisticated compliance checks, additional nodes, and more complex network topologies as needed.
Through the script, we offered you the useful insights on how to implement cybersecurity compliance in the ns3 tool and furthermore, you can get additional information related to this topic from us. Let us know all your information, and we’ll help you with the best project implementation for Network Cybersecurity Compliance using the ns3 tool. We focus on NIST, ISO/IEC, and other regulatory frameworks for your projects.