How to Begin Implement Network Authorization in NS3

To begin implementing and analysing the network authorization using NS3 has comprises of managing and confirming access to the network resources according to the defined strategies. Authorization can be leveraged for permitting or rejecting traffic flows, replicating user authentication, or applying security mechanisms within a simulated network.

Here’s a simple guide to get started with executing network authorization in NS3:

Steps to Begin Implement Network Authorization in NS3

1. Understand Network Authorization

• Authorization: It is a process of allowing or rejecting the access to resources relies on identity or rules.
• Key Use Cases:
  • Access Control: Limit which devices can be interacted.
  • Policy Enforcement: Apply network usage policies.
  • Simulating Authentication: Replicate the user logins or authorisations.

2. Set Up ns3 Environment

• Make sure that we have installed ns3 and confirm their functionality:

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

cd ns-3-dev

./ns3 configure –enable-examples –enable-tests

./ns3 build

• Verify the installation:

./ns3 run hello-simulator

3. Design the Network Authorization System

• Policy-Based Control:
  • Describe rules to permit or reject traffic for instance according to IP address, port, or protocol.
• Authorization Point:
  • Make use of a node like router, proxy, or gateway since it an enforcement point for authorization policies.
• Authorization Logic:
  • Analyse and authorize packets with the support of callbacks or filters.

4. Steps to Implement Network Authorization

(a) Create Nodes

• Describe nodes for clients, servers, and the authorization point:

NodeContainer clients, servers, authPoint;

clients.Create(1);

servers.Create(1);

authPoint.Create(1); // Authorization point (e.g., a router)

(b) Set Up Network Links

• Associate the clients, servers, and the authorization point using PointToPointHelper:

PointToPointHelper p2p;

p2p.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“10Mbps”));

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

NetDeviceContainer clientToAuth = p2p.Install(NodeContainer(clients.Get(0), authPoint.Get(0)));

NetDeviceContainer authToServer = p2p.Install(NodeContainer(authPoint.Get(0), servers.Get(0)));

(c) Install Internet Stack

• We can set up the Internet stack at all nodes:

InternetStackHelper stack;

stack.InstallAll();

(d) Assign IP Addresses

• Allocate an IP addresses to the devices:

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

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

Ipv4InterfaceContainer clientAuthInterfaces = address.Assign(clientToAuth);

address.SetBase(“10.1.2.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer authServerInterfaces = address.Assign(authToServer);

(e) Implement Authorization Logic

• Add a packet filter or callback on the authorization point:

void AuthorizationCallback(Ptr<Packet> packet, Ptr<Ipv4> ipv4, uint32_t interface) {

Ipv4Header ipv4Header;

packet->PeekHeader(ipv4Header);

Ipv4Address source = ipv4Header.GetSource();

Ipv4Address destination = ipv4Header.GetDestination();

// Example: Deny packets from a specific IP

if (source == Ipv4Address(“10.1.1.1”)) {

NS_LOG_UNCOND(“Packet from ” << source << ” denied.”);

} else {

NS_LOG_UNCOND(“Packet from ” << source << ” allowed.”);

}

}

// Attach callback to the authorization point’s device

authPoint.Get(0)->GetObject<Ipv4>()->TraceConnectWithoutContext(“Tx”, MakeCallback(&AuthorizationCallback));

5. Install Applications

• Replicate the traffic among clients and servers leveraging applications:
  • Server:

UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(9);

ApplicationContainer serverApp = echoServer.Install(servers.Get(0));

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

• • Client:

UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(Ipv4Address(“10.1.2.1”), 9);

echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(10));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));

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

ApplicationContainer clientApp = echoClient.Install(clients.Get(0));

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

6. Complete Example Code

Here’s a comprehensive instance of network authorization:

#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”

using namespace ns3;

void AuthorizationCallback(Ptr<Packet> packet, Ptr<Ipv4> ipv4, uint32_t interface) {

Ipv4Header ipv4Header;

packet->PeekHeader(ipv4Header);

Ipv4Address source = ipv4Header.GetSource();

Ipv4Address destination = ipv4Header.GetDestination();

// Example: Deny packets from a specific IP

if (source == Ipv4Address(“10.1.1.1”)) {

NS_LOG_UNCOND(“Packet from ” << source << ” denied.”);

} else {

NS_LOG_UNCOND(“Packet from ” << source << ” allowed.”);

}

}

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

CommandLine cmd;

cmd.Parse(argc, argv);

// Create nodes

NodeContainer clients, servers, authPoint;

clients.Create(1);

servers.Create(1);

authPoint.Create(1);

// Create links

PointToPointHelper p2p;

p2p.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“10Mbps”));

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

NetDeviceContainer clientToAuth = p2p.Install(NodeContainer(clients.Get(0), authPoint.Get(0)));

NetDeviceContainer authToServer = p2p.Install(NodeContainer(authPoint.Get(0), servers.Get(0)));

// Install Internet stack

InternetStackHelper stack;

stack.InstallAll();

// Assign IP addresses

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

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

Ipv4InterfaceContainer clientAuthInterfaces = address.Assign(clientToAuth);

address.SetBase(“10.1.2.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer authServerInterfaces = address.Assign(authToServer);

// Attach authorization logic

authPoint.Get(0)->GetObject<Ipv4>()->TraceConnectWithoutContext(“Tx”, MakeCallback(&AuthorizationCallback));

// Install applications

UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(9);

ApplicationContainer serverApp = echoServer.Install(servers.Get(0));

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(Ipv4Address(“10.1.2.1”), 9);

echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(10));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));

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

ApplicationContainer clientApp = echoClient.Install(clients.Get(0));

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

// Run simulation

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

return 0;

}

7. Test and Validate

• Finally, execute the simulation and confirm records for permitted or rejected packets.
• Examine traffic with the support of FlowMonitor or packet tracing tools.

We have shared step-by-step guidance with example coding on how to implement and test the Network Authorization using NS3 simulation tool. If you have any more specifies on this topic, we will provide it to you.