Network Visualization Design using Prefuse Visualization Framework

Visualization of network simulation events or network visualization is an effective and low cost method to evaluate the health and status of a network and analyze network designs, protocols, and network algorithms. This research designed and developed a network event visualization framework using an open source general visualization toolkit. This research achieved three major milestones during the development of this framework: A robust network simulator trace file parser, multiple network visualization layouts {including user-defined layouts, and precise visualization timing controls and integrated display of network statistics. The parser architecture is extensible to allow customization of simulator trace formats that are accepted by the visualization framework. This design makes the framework capable of accepting trace files from different network simulators and provides one common visualization testbed to study network scenarios run on different simulators. Multiple network visualization layouts are made possible using the prefuse visualization toolkit Layout class which provides many different visualization layouts and is easily extensible to create new Layout subclasses. Finally, precise timing controls give users better control for quicker navigation to specific network events at any time. The toolkit design is readily extensible allowing developers to easily expand the framework to meet research-specific visualization goals

Network Monitoring Traffic Compression Using Singular Value Decomposition

With increasing magnitude of computer network activity, the ability to monitor all network traffic is becoming strained. The need to represent large amounts of data in smaller forms is essential to continued growth of network monitoring tools and network administrators\u27 capabilities. Network monitoring captures many different measurements of the data flowing through the network. This thesis introduces a new method of sending network traffic monitoring data that reduces the overall volume of data from the traditional method of packet capture. By populating a matrix with specific data values in a sparse format, this experiment reduces the data using singular value decomposition (SVD) compression. Matrices were populated using network monitoring datasets from 1996 Information Exploration Shootout (IES). The data populated into the matrices was varied along time frame and data field to determine if the SVD compression algorithm reduced the quantity of original data values. Results indicated that the quantity of data varies dependent on the volume of the data field chosen. The matrix population method was based on port values to allow combining values within the matrix cells. The results trended to a successful reduction of data if the time frame is increased significantly

Modeling Computer Communication Networks in a Realistic 3D Environment

Communication network simulations have typically been visualized in the past through 2D representations, but this is insufficient for battlefield network scenarios. Visual representations of battlefield networks greatly benefit from 3D visualization due to its ability to retain asset location. This research investigates the feasibility of modeling a typical battlefield communication network in a realistic 3D manner and discusses the effects of doing so. The result is an open source, 3D network visualization tool that can create highly intuitive connected battlefield scenes, enabling the user to quickly comprehend network state. It highlights mobile assets, packet movement, and node connectivity while allowing the viewer to interact with the scene

Data processing for anomaly detection in web-based applications

Web applications are popular attack targets. Misuse detection systems use signature databases to detect known attacks. However, it is difficult to keep the database up to date with the rate of discovery of vulnerabilities. They also cannot detect zero-day attacks. By contrast, anomaly detection systems learn the normal behavior of the system and monitor its activity to detect any deviations from the normal. Any such deviations are flagged as anomalous. This thesis presents an anomaly detection system for web-based applications. The anomaly detection system monitors the attribute value pairs of successful HTTP requests received by webserver applications and automatically creates parameter profiles. It then uses these profiles to detect anomalies in the HTTP requests. Customized profiles help reduce the number of false positives. Automatic learning ensures that the system can be used with different kinds of web application environments, without the necessity for manual configuration. The results of the detection are also visualized, which enable the system administrator to quickly understand the state of the system and respond accordingly.Keywords: anomaly, anomaly detection, web application, security, computer science, computer security, compute

Algorithms for the visualization and simulation of mobile ad hoc and cognitive networks

Visualization and simulation are important aspects of most advanced engineering endeavors. They may provide important insights into the functionality and perfor- mance of a system during the design and evaluation stage of the system's development. This thesis presents a number of algorithms and simulation algorithms that may be used for the design and evaluation of two types of engineered systems, mobile ad hoc and cognitive networks. The ¯rst set of algorithms provides signal radiation pattern and digital terrain visualization capabilities to OMAN, a mobile ad hoc network sim- ulator developed at Drexel University. The second set of algorithms provides a more general visualization capability for displaying complex graphs. These algorithms fo- cus on simplifying a complex graph in order to allow a user to explore its underlying basic structure. The thesis closes with a description of a GPU-based implementation of a set of spectrum-sensing algorithms. Spectrum sensing is an important function- ality needed for cognitive networks. The computational speed-ups provided by the GPU implementation o®er the possibility of real-time spectrum-sensing for adaptive, cognitive networks.M.S., Computer Science -- Drexel University, 200

Simulation and evaluation of the reactive virtual node layer

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-67).Developing software in a wireless, ad hoc environment is an intrinsically difficult problem. One way to mitigate it is to add an abstraction layer between the software and the individual mobile devices. This thesis describes one such abstraction, the Reactive Virtual Node (RVN) Layer [1, 2, 3, 4], as well as a new simulation framework written in Python. Additionally, this thesis uses the simulator to characterize an RVN-based routing service for multihop mobile ad hoc networks. The performance of the routing service is compared to the Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector routing protocol, as well as a greedy geographic routing protocol.by Mike Spindel.M.Eng

Exploring utilization of visualization for computer and network security

The role of the network security administrator is continually morphing to keep pace with the ever-changing area of computer and network security. These changes are due in part to both the continual development of new security exploits by attackers as well as improvements in network security products available for use. One area which has garnered much research in the past decade is the use of visualization to ease the strain on network security administrators. Visualization mechanisms utilize the parallel processing power of the human visual system to allow for the identification of possible nefarious network activity. This research details the development and use of a visualization system for network security. The manuscript is composed of four papers which provide a progression of research pertaining to the system. The first paper utilizes research in the area of information visualization to develop a new framework for designing visualization systems for network security. Next, a visualization system is developed in the second paper which has been utilized during multiple cyber defense competitions to aid in competition performance. The last two papers deal with evaluating the developed system. First, an exploratory analysis provides an initial assessment using participant interviews during one cyber defense competition. Second, a quasi field experiment explores the intention of subjects to use the system based on the type of visualization being viewed

A dynamic three-dimensional network visualization program for integration into cyberciege and other network visualization scenarios

Detailed information and intellectual understanding of a network's topology and vulnerabilities is invaluable to better securing computer networks. Network protocol analyzers and intrusion detection systems can provide this additional information. In particular, game-based trainers, such as CyberCIEGE, have been shown to improve the level of training and understanding of network security professionals. This thesis' objective is to enhance these applications by developing NTAV3D, or, Network Topology and Attack Visualizer (Three Dimensional). NTAV3D is a tool that displays network topology, vulnerabilities, and attacks in an interactive, three dimensional environment. This augments the design and gameplay of CyberCIEGE by increasing gameplayer interaction and data display. Additionally, NTAV3D can be expanded to provide this capability to network analysis and intrusion detection tools. Furthermore, NTAV3D expands on ideas and results from related work of the best ways to visualize network topology, vulnerabilities, and attacks. NTAV3D was created using open-source software technologies including Xj3D, X3D, Java, and XML. It is also one of the first applications to be built with only the Xj3D toolkit. Therefore, the development process allowed evaluation of these technologies, resulting in recommendations for future improvements.http://archive.org/details/adynamicthreedim109453384US Navy (USN) authors.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited