Ordinal synchronization mark sequence and its steganography for a multi-link network covert channel

PLoS One. 2021 Jun 4;16(6):e0252813. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252813. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

A multi-link network covert channel (MLCC) such as Cloak exhibits a high capacity and robustness and can achieve lossless modulation of the protocol data units. However, the mechanism of Cloak involving an arrangement of packets over the links (APL) is limited by its passive synchronization schemes, which results in intermittent obstructions in transmitting APL packets and anomalous link switching patterns. In this work, we propose a novel ordinal synchronization mark sequence (OSMS) for a Cloak framework based MLCC to ensure that the marked APL packets are orderly distinguishable. Specifically, a unidirectional function is used to generate the OSMS randomly before realizing covert modulation. Subsequently, we formulate the generation relation of the marks according to their order and embed each mark into the APL packets by using a one-way hash function such that the mark cannot be cracked during the transmission of the APL packet. Finally, we set up a retrieval function of the finite set at the covert receiver to extract the marks and determine their orders, and the APL packets are reorganized to realize covert demodulation. The results of experiments performed on real traffic indicated that the MLCC embedded with OSMS could avoid the passive synchronization schemes and exhibited superior performance in terms of reliability, throughput, and undetectability compared with the renowned Cloak method, especially under a malicious network interference scenario. Furthermore, our approach could effectively resist the inter-link correlation test, which are highly effective in testing the Cloak framework.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Computer Communication Networks*
  • Reproducibility of Results

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U1736215, 61672302, 61901237), Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. LY20F020010, LY17F020010), Ningbo Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 2019A610103), Ningbo University Fund (Grant No. XKXL1509) and K.C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University.