How to Begin Implement a Digital Forensics in NS3

To create a Digital Forensics in ns-3 has includes the replicate a network surroundings in which forensic method can be implemented to seizure, study and research network movements for security, incident response or compliance purposes. Digital forensics in ns3 typically concentrates on network forensics, in which the aim for follow, log, and analyze traffic to identify and investigate malicious actions.

Here’s how to get started:

Steps to Begin Implement a Digital Forensics in NS3

1. Set up ns-3 Environment

1. Install ns-3:
   • Download and install ns-3 from the official website.
   • Validate the setting using a simple script:/waf –run hello-simulator.
2. Include Required Modules:
   • Use modules such as internet, wifi, point-to-point, and applications.

2. Define Objectives

Describe the aims for digital forensics execution:

• Traffic Monitoring:
  • Seizure the all packets flowing through a network.
• Anomaly Detection:
  • Identify suspicious activities like unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized access.
• Incident Investigation:
  • Recreate actions for examine the origin and effect of malicious actions.

3. Set Up Network Topology

1. Create Nodes:
   • Signify the devices like as clients, servers, and forensic monitoring nodes.

NodeContainer nodes;

nodes.Create(3); // Client, Server, and Forensic Node

1. Configure Connections:
   • Point-to-Point Links:

PointToPointHelper p2p;

p2p.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“1Gbps”));

p2p.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“2ms”));

NetDeviceContainer devices = p2p.Install(nodes.Get(0), nodes.Get(1));

1. • Wireless Network:

WifiHelper wifi;

YansWifiPhyHelper phy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();

YansWifiChannelHelper channel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();

phy.SetChannel(channel.Create());

WifiMacHelper mac;

mac.SetType(“ns3::AdhocWifiMac”);

NetDeviceContainer devices = wifi.Install(phy, mac, nodes);

1. Assign IP Addresses:

InternetStackHelper internet;

internet.Install(nodes);

Ipv4AddressHelper ipv4;

ipv4.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces = ipv4.Assign(devices);

4. Simulate Forensic Monitoring

1. Packet Capture:
   • Use the command line for PacketSink to log all congestion passing through a node.

PacketSinkHelper sink(“ns3::TcpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address::GetAny(), 8080));

ApplicationContainer sinkApp = sink.Install(nodes.Get(2)); // Forensic Node

sinkApp.Start(Seconds(0.0));

sinkApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

1. Custom Forensic Application:
   • Improve the application for analyze the seizure congestion.

class ForensicApp : public Application {

public:

void StartApplication() override {

// Logic to analyze incoming packets

m_socket->SetRecvCallback(MakeCallback(&ForensicApp::AnalyzePacket, this));

}

void AnalyzePacket(Ptr<Socket> socket) {

Ptr<Packet> packet = socket->Recv();

// Extract and log packet details

}

private:

Ptr<Socket> m_socket;

};

5. Simulate Traffic

1. Generate Traffic:
   • Use TCP or UDP applications for replicate the normal and malicious traffic congestion.

OnOffHelper traffic(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(interfaces.GetAddress(1), 8080));

traffic.SetAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“10Mbps”));

traffic.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

ApplicationContainer trafficApp = traffic.Install(nodes.Get(0));

trafficApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

trafficApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

1. Simulate Malicious Activity:
   • It establishes the unusual designs or high traffic capacity of mimic attacks.

traffic.SetAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“100Mbps”)); // Simulate DDoS

6. Log and Analyze Data

1. Traffic Logging:
   • Use the log for AsciiTraceHelper to store congestion details for offline study.

AsciiTraceHelper ascii;

p2p.EnableAsciiAll(ascii.CreateFileStream(“network-forensics.tr”));

1. Real-Time Packet Inspection:
   • Use the inspection for callbacks to log specific packets during the replication.

Config::ConnectWithoutContext(“/NodeList/*/ApplicationList/*/$ns3::PacketSink/Rx”, MakeCallback(&LogPacket));

void LogPacket(Ptr<const Packet> packet) {

// Extract packet details and log

NS_LOG_UNCOND(“Packet captured: ” << packet->ToString());

}

7. Simulate Attacks and Defenses

1. Simulated Attacks:
   • Denial of Service (DoS): Make a high congestion for a target node.
   • Man-in-the-Middle (MitM): Improve the malicious node for interrupt congestion.
   • Data Exfiltration: Transmit the sensitive data from one node to another.
2. Defensive Mechanisms:
   • Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) or firewalls for finding and block malicious congestion.

8. Analyze and Reconstruct Events

1. Flow Analysis:
   • FlowMonitor used to seizure the specific flow statistics.

FlowMonitorHelper flowmon;

Ptr<FlowMonitor> monitor = flowmon.InstallAll();

1. Event Reconstruction:
   • Associate the seizure logs to reconstruct the sequence of actions during an attack.

9. Visualize and Evaluate

1. NetAnim:
   • Use the command AnimationInterface to envision the packet flows in a node communications.

AnimationInterface anim(“forensic-network.xml”);

1. Metrics Visualization:
   • Transfers the performance for examine the forensic metrics such as packet capture rate, attack detection time, and accuracy.

10. Extend and Enhance

1. Advanced Forensic Analysis:
   • Integrate the deep packet inspection or metadata study to enhance the forensic abilities.
   • Incorporate the frameworks such as Wireshark for offline packet analysis.
2. Machine Learning:
   • Use the designs for ML to find the anomalies and calculate the potential threats.
3. Scalability:
   • Validate the forensic systems in large-scale networks by diverse congestion design.

Example Use Cases

• Investigating Cyberattacks: Replicate and examine attacks such as DDoS or MitM.
• Forensic Training: Generate scenarios for teaching the forensic investigators.
• IDS/IPS Testing: Estimate the intrusion detection and prevention systems.

We had explicit the information about the simulation process with examples regarding the Digital Forensics projects that was executed using the tool of ns3. A dedicated manual will be shared to handle further questions about this project.