How to Begin Implement a Steganography in NS3

To create a Steganography in ns-3 tool includes the embedding unseen information in network packets during transmission. This can be used to replicate the covert communication channels for study their effect of network performance or detectability.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Steps to Begin Implement a Steganography in NS3

1. Understand Steganography in Networks

• Key Concepts:
  • Steganography hides messages in network packets for sample headers, payload.
  • It changes the channels for exploit the area such as unused header bits or padding.
• Common Use Cases:
  • It replicates the change communication.
  • Estimate the finding devices for steganographic systems.

2. Set Up ns-3 Environment

1. Install ns-3:

git clone https://gitlab.com/nsnam/ns-3-dev.git

cd ns-3-dev

./build.py

1. Verify the installation:

./ns3 run hello-simulator

3. Plan the Steganographic Network

• Components:
  • Sender: Embeds unseen information in network packets.
  • Receiver: Excerpts the unseen information.
  • Intermediate nodes: Replicate the network forwarding or potential finding.
• Traffic:
  • Normal traffic: Communicate for the regular network.
  • Steganographic traffic: Packets by hidden data.

4. Write the Simulation Script
5. Include Necessary Headers

#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”

1. Define Nodes

ns3::NodeContainer nodes;

nodes.Create(2);  // Two nodes: Sender and Receiver

1. Set Up Point-to-Point Links

ns3::PointToPointHelper p2p;

p2p.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, ns3::StringValue(“1Gbps”));

p2p.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, ns3::StringValue(“2ms”));

ns3::NetDeviceContainer devices = p2p.Install(nodes);

1. Install Internet Stack

ns3::InternetStackHelper internet;

internet.Install(nodes);

ns3::Ipv4AddressHelper address;

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

ns3::Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces = address.Assign(devices);

5. Implement Steganographic Mechanism
6. Embed Hidden Data

Alter the packets for headers or payloads:

void EmbedData(Ptr<ns3::Packet> packet, const std::string& hiddenData) {

// Add hidden data as a custom tag

struct SteganoTag : public ns3::Tag {

std::string data;

void Serialize(ns3::TagBuffer i) const {

uint32_t size = data.size();

i.Write(reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(&size), sizeof(size));

i.Write(reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(data.c_str()), size);

}

void Deserialize(ns3::TagBuffer i) {

uint32_t size;

i.Read(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(&size), sizeof(size));

char buffer[size];

i.Read(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(buffer), size);

data = std::string(buffer, size);

}

uint32_t GetSerializedSize() const {

return sizeof(uint32_t) + data.size();

}

};

SteganoTag tag;

tag.data = hiddenData;

packet->AddPacketTag(tag);

}

1. Extract Hidden Data

std::string ExtractData(Ptr<ns3::Packet> packet) {

struct SteganoTag tag;

if (packet->PeekPacketTag(tag)) {

return tag.data;

}

return “”;

}

1. Custom Application for Steganography

1. Sender: Embed the hidden data for outgoing packets.

class SteganoSender : public ns3::Application {

private:

virtual void StartApplication() override {

Ptr<ns3::Packet> packet = Create<ns3::Packet>(1024); // Normal payload

EmbedData(packet, “HiddenMessage”);

// Send packet (e.g., through UDP socket)

Ptr<ns3::Socket> socket = Socket::CreateSocket(GetNode(), ns3::UdpSocketFactory::GetTypeId());

socket->Connect(ns3::InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address(“10.1.1.2”), 9));

socket->Send(packet);

}

};

1. Receiver: Excerpt the unseen data from received packets.

class SteganoReceiver : public ns3::Application {

private:

virtual void StartApplication() override {

Ptr<ns3::Socket> socket = Socket::CreateSocket(GetNode(), ns3::UdpSocketFactory::GetTypeId());

socket->Bind(InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address::GetAny(), 9));

socket->SetRecvCallback(MakeCallback(&SteganoReceiver::HandleReceive, this));

}

void HandleReceive(Ptr<ns3::Socket> socket) {

Ptr<ns3::Packet> packet = socket->Recv();

std::string hiddenData = ExtractData(packet);

std::cout << “Received hidden data: ” << hiddenData << std::endl;

}

};

6. Install Applications

Ptr<SteganoSender> senderApp = CreateObject<SteganoSender>();

nodes.Get(0)->AddApplication(senderApp);

senderApp->SetStartTime(ns3::Seconds(1.0));

senderApp->SetStopTime(ns3::Seconds(10.0));

Ptr<SteganoReceiver> receiverApp = CreateObject<SteganoReceiver>();

nodes.Get(1)->AddApplication(receiverApp);

receiverApp->SetStartTime(ns3::Seconds(1.0));

receiverApp->SetStopTime(ns3::Seconds(10.0));

7. Run the Simulation

ns3::Simulator::Run();

ns3::Simulator::Destroy();

8. Analyze Results

• Metrics:
  • Estimate the detectability for Steganographic congestion.
  • Amount of performance effect for instance increased packet size or delay.
• Tracing and Visualization:
  • Ensure the .pcap tracing for study the congestion:

ns3::AsciiTraceHelper ascii;

p2p.EnableAsciiAll(ascii.CreateFileStream(“stegano.tr”));

p2p.EnablePcapAll(“stegano”);

• Use the examine for packets and identify the unseen data Wireshark.

9. Iterate and Enhance

• Advanced Steganography:
  • Use the unused header fields for sample TCP/IP options for embedding.
  • Research by payload-based steganography.
• Detection Mechanisms:
  • Steganalysis techniques are replicating the finding for covert communication.
• Scalability:
  • For replicate the several sender-receiver pairs in experiment the robustness.

Overall, we had learned on implementing steganography in ns-3 by creating a basic network that hides information within data with steganographic functionalities. Also, we provide more related information on steganography.