Burst contention avoidance schemes in hybrid GMPLS-enabled OBS/OCS optical networks

Hybrid optical network architectures, combining benefits of optical circuit and burst switching technologies, become a natural evolution to improve overall network performance while reducing related costs. This paper concentrates on preventive contention avoidance schemes to decrease burst loss probability at the OBS layer of such hybrid network scenarios. Into operation, the proposed solution locally reacts to highly loaded downstream node situations by preventively deflecting bursts through a less loaded neighbor. Two different approaches for disseminating adjacent nodes state information are presented and extensively evaluated. In the first approach, current node state information is propagated downstream in the burst control packet, keeping pace with OBS traffic dynamics. The second approach targets at lower control overhead. In this case, averaged node state statistics are included in the Hello messages of the GMPLS Link Management Protocol (LMP) protocol, which are exchanged between neighboring nodes over the OCS control layer every 150 ms. The obtained results validate the applicability of both approaches. Moreover, they indicate that, depending on the mean burst size, either one or the other approach is favorable.Postprint (published version

Deteção de intrusões de rede baseada em anomalias

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Eletrónica Industrial e ComputadoresAo longo dos últimos anos, a segurança de hardware e software tornou-se uma grande preocupação. À medida que a complexidade dos sistemas aumenta, as suas vulnerabilidades a sofisticadas técnicas de ataque têm proporcionalmente escalado. Frequentemente o problema reside na heterogenidade de dispositivos conectados ao veículo, tornando difícil a convergência da monitorização de todos os protocolos num único produto de segurança. Por esse motivo, o mercado requer ferramentas mais avançadas para a monitorizar ambientes críticos à vida humana, tais como os nossos automóveis. Considerando que existem várias formas de interagir com os sistemas de entretenimento do automóvel como o Bluetooth, o Wi-fi ou CDs multimédia, a necessidade de auditar as suas interfaces tornou-se uma prioridade, uma vez que elas representam um sério meio de aceeso à rede interna do carro. Atualmente, os mecanismos de segurança de um carro focam-se na monitotização da rede CAN, deixando para trás as tecnologias referidas e não contemplando os sistemas não críticos. Como exemplo disso, o Bluetooth traz desafios diferentes da rede CAN, uma vez que interage diretamente com o utilizador e está exposto a ataques externos. Uma abordagem alternativa para tornar o automóvel num sistema mais robusto é manter sob supervisão as comunicações que com este são estabelecidas. Ao implementar uma detecção de intrusão baseada em anomalias, esta dissertação visa analisar o protocolo Bluetooth no sentido de identificar interações anormais que possam alertar para uma situação fora dos padrões de utilização. Em última análise, este produto de software embebido incorpora uma grande margem de auto-aprendizagem, que é vital para enfrentar quaisquer ameaças desconhecidas e aumentar os níveis de segurança globais. Ao longo deste documento, apresentamos o estudo do problema seguido de uma metodologia alternativa que implementa um algoritmo baseado numa LSTM para prever a sequência de comandos HCI correspondentes a tráfego Bluetooth normal. Os resultados mostram a forma como esta abordagem pode impactar a deteção de intrusões nestes ambientes ao demonstrar uma grande capacidade para identificar padrões anómalos no conjunto de dados considerado.In the last few years, hardware and software security have become a major concern. As the systems’ complexity increases, its vulnerabilities to several sophisticated attack techniques have escalated likewise. Quite often, the problem lies in the heterogeneity of the devices connected to the vehicle, making it difficult to converge the monitoring systems of all existing protocols into one security product. Thereby, the market requires more refined tools to monitor life-risky environments such as personal vehicles. Considering that there are several ways to interact with the car’s infotainment system, such as Wi-fi, Bluetooth, or CD player, the need to audit these interfaces has become a priority as they represent a serious channel to reach the internal car network. Nowadays, security in car networks focuses on CAN bus monitoring, leaving behind the aforementioned technologies and not contemplating other non-critical systems. As an example of these concerns, Bluetooth brings different challenges compared to CAN as it interacts directly with the user, being exposed to external attacks. An alternative approach to converting modern vehicles and their set of computers into more robust systems is to keep track of established communications with them. By enforcing anomaly-based intrusion detection this dissertation aims to analyze the Bluetooth protocol to identify abnormal user interactions that may alert for a non conforming pattern. Ultimately, such embedded software product incorporates a self-learning edge, which is vital to face newly developed threats and increasing global security levels. Throughout this document, we present the study case followed by an alternative methodology that implements an LSTM based algorithm to predict a sequence of HCI commands corresponding to normal Bluetooth traffic. The results show how this approach can impact intrusion detection in such environments by expressing a high capability of identifying abnormal patterns in the considered data

Bluetooth software on Linux, wireless hand-held devices

In order to enable existing computers (non-Bluetooth ready) to connect to a Bluetooth piconet, a Bluetooth hardware device comprising of the Radio antenna, the baseband and control circuit is used. The digital portion of this device is also known as a Host Controller, HC. In the traditional communication lingo, the Bluetooth Hardware functions, as the Data Communication Equipment (DCE) while the Host is the Data terminal Equipment (DTE). This report discusses the theory and implementation of the communication protocol between the Host and the Host Controller, enabling communication between the computer and the Bluetooth hardwar

Recovery fairness and congestion control mechanisms in RPR networks

The paper describes fundamental features of RPR (Resilient Packet Ring - IEEE 802.17 standard). It focuses on proposals how to improve fairness mechanism and to increase network efficiency in state of congestion. Recovery mechanisms are also discussed, with presented analytical and simulation results. The goals of paper are threefold. At first, we show RPR main features and describe its current status. Secondly, we present main recovery and resilience features of RPR and propose solutions for improving both fairness and congestion control. Finally, a new concept, the enhanced hold-off timer (EHOT) is introduced improving recovery actions in multilayer networks. Some simulation results are presented in order to illustrate advantages of proposed solution.Postprint (published version

MobiSplit: a Scalable Approach to Emerging Mobility Networks

First ACM/IEEE International Workshop on Mobility in the Evolving Internet Architecture. Session: Architectural issues. San Francisco, California, Dec. 01 2006This paper presents a novel architecture, MobiSplit, to manage mobility in future IP based networks. The proposed architecture separates mobility management in two levels, local and global, that are managed in completely independent ways. The paper describes the flexibility advantages that this architecture brings to operators, and how it is appropriate for the current trend to multiple and very different access providers and operators. Heterogeneity, support for seamless handovers and multihoming, and scalability issues are analyzed in the paper