Dual-Mode Communication With Obfuscated Ethernet Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems over public networks are vulnerable to attacks due to publicly known syntactic, semantic, and logical rules of Ethernet and IP protocols, allowing adversaries to launch DDOS, replay, and other attacks.
Innovation Solution
A dual-mode communication device that operates in both normal and obfuscated modes, where in obfuscated mode, it permutes and obfuscates Ethernet frames to deviate from public protocols, ensuring only devices in obfuscated mode can decode the payload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard Ethernet and IP protocols are used for communication over public networks, then compatibility with public networks and ease of operation are improved, but vulnerability to attacks (DDOS, replay, etc.) increases due to publicly known protocol rules
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system is segmented into two distinct modes: normal mode using standard Ethernet/IP protocols for public network compatibility, and obfuscated mode using permuted protocols for secure communication. This segmentation allows the system to switch between compatibility and security based on operational requirements, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and vulnerability to attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication device dynamically switches between normal and obfuscated modes based on security requirements. The protocol behavior changes from standard to permuted depending on the operational context, allowing the system to maintain public network compatibility when needed while providing protection against attacks when security is prioritized.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If obfuscated and permuted protocols are used to secure communication, then resistance to attacks is improved, but compatibility with standard network equipment and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments protocol handling into distinct modes: standard protocols for interaction with public network infrastructure and permuted protocols for secure point-to-point communication. This allows obfuscation to be applied only where needed for security while maintaining compatibility with standard network equipment for routing and transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication device acts as an intermediary that translates between standard protocols used by public network infrastructure and permuted protocols used for secure communication. This mediator function allows the system to maintain compatibility with standard equipment while providing obfuscated communication channels.
3Ease of manufacture
If protocol rules are made publicly known for standard communication, then ease of implementation and manufacturing are improved, but security against adversaries deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Protocol implementation is segmented into publicly documented standard protocols for ease of manufacturing and privately implemented permuted protocols for security. The standard protocol segment allows widespread implementation using commercially available equipment, while the permuted protocol segment provides security against adversaries who cannot easily reverse-engineer the obfuscation.
4Productivity
If all Ethernet frames are processed and forwarded, then network connectivity and communication efficiency are improved, but exposure to harmful frames (DDOS, replay attacks) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by using permuted protocol rules to pre-identify and discard frames that do not conform to the obfuscated protocol structure before they can cause harm. This preliminary filtering prevents harmful frames from being processed further, blocking DDOS and replay attacks while maintaining efficient communication of valid frames.
Data Source
AI summary
A dual-mode communication device adapted for communication over a public network, wherein the dual-mode communication device is adapted to be operated in a normal mode and in an obfuscated mode. The dual-mode communication device includes a processor and a network interface device. The processor develops a frame from a payload received by the dual-communication device and, if the dual-mode communication device is operating in the obfuscated mode, an obfuscated frame from the frame. The frame and the obfuscated frame comprise a preamble that conforms with protocols associated with the public network and the processor. A network interface transmits one of the frame or the obfuscated frame using the public network. The payload may be extracted from the frame by any receiving device operating in the normal mode in the public network and the payload may be extracted from the obfuscated frame only by another communication device also operating in the obfuscated mode in the public network.