How to Start Botnets Attack Projects Using NS2

To start a Botnet Attack in NS2 (Network Simulator 2), we will need to make a scenario in which several compromised nodes (bots) are organise in the central attacker (botmaster) control for implementing an attack like a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) or data exfiltration. Below is a complete instruction to get started Botnet Attack project:

Steps to Start Botnets Attack Projects in NS2

  1. Understand Botnet Attacks
  • What is a Botnet?
    • A botnet is a compromised devices network which is managed by a botmaster. The botmaster delivers commands to bots that perform like a single coordinated object.
  • Types of Botnet Attacks:
    • DDoS: To devastate a target including traffic.
    • Spam: It transmits a massive amount of unnecessary messages.
    • Data Theft: To get sensitive data.
  • Goals of the Simulation:
    • Replicate the botnet interaction and attack levels.
    • Examine the botnet attack influence over network performance.
    • Discover mitigation mechanisms.
  1. Set Up NS2
  • Install NS2:
    • We can download and install NS2.35 on the system.
  • Verify Installation:
    • Verify the installation to utilize a simple Tcl script:

ns example.tcl

  1. Plan the Simulation
  • Network Topology:
    • We can create a network topology with:
      • Botmaster: Delivers commands.
      • Bots: Compromised nodes to implement the attacks.
      • Targets: Attack’s target.
      • Legitimate Nodes: Typical traffic source nodes for comparison.
  • Simulation Phases:
    • Command and Control (C2): Botmaster interactes with bots through the command.
    • Attack Execution: Bots introduces the coordinated attacks on the target node.
  • Metrics to Analyze:
    • Estimate the traffic volume from bots to victims.
    • Influence over legitimate traffic like packet delivery ratio, delay.
    • Countermeasures efficiency.
  1. Write a Simulation Script

Make a Tcl script for replicating the behavior of botnet.

Example Botnet Simulation Script

# Initialize the simulator

set ns [new Simulator]

# Define trace and NAM output files

set tracefile [open botnet_attack.tr w]

$ns trace-all $tracefile

set namfile [open botnet_attack.nam w]

$ns namtrace-all $namfile

# Create nodes

set botmaster [$ns node]  ;# Botmaster node

set bot1 [$ns node]       ;# Bot node 1

set bot2 [$ns node]       ;# Bot node 2

set bot3 [$ns node]       ;# Bot node 3

set target [$ns node]     ;# Target node

set legitimate [$ns node] ;# Legitimate user

# Create duplex links

$ns duplex-link $botmaster $bot1 10Mb 10ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $bot1 $target 10Mb 10ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $bot2 $target 10Mb 10ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $bot3 $target 10Mb 10ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $legitimate $target 10Mb 10ms DropTail

# Configure legitimate traffic

set tcp_legit [new Agent/TCP]

$ns attach-agent $legitimate $tcp_legit

set sink_legit [new Agent/TCPSink]

$ns attach-agent $target $sink_legit

$ns connect $tcp_legit $sink_legit

set ftp_legit [new Application/FTP]

$ftp_legit attach-agent $tcp_legit

$ns at 1.0 “$ftp_legit start”

$ns at 6.0 “$ftp_legit stop”

# Configure botnet traffic (C2 communication)

proc send_command {botmaster bot interval size} {

global ns

set udp [new Agent/UDP]

set null [new Agent/Null]

$ns attach-agent $botmaster $udp

$ns attach-agent $bot $null

$ns connect $udp $null

# Traffic generator for C2 communication

set c2 [new Application/Traffic/CBR]

$c2 attach-agent $udp

$c2 set packetSize_ $size

$c2 set interval_ $interval

return $c2

}

# Send commands to bots

set command1 [send_command $botmaster $bot1 0.5 64]

set command2 [send_command $botmaster $bot2 0.5 64]

set command3 [send_command $botmaster $bot3 0.5 64]

# Start bot commands

$ns at 2.0 “$command1 start”

$ns at 2.0 “$command2 start”

$ns at 2.0 “$command3 start”

# Configure botnet attack traffic

proc launch_attack {bot target interval size} {

global ns

set udp [new Agent/UDP]

set null [new Agent/Null]

$ns attach-agent $bot $udp

$ns attach-agent $target $null

$ns connect $udp $null

# Traffic generator for bot attack

set attack [new Application/Traffic/CBR]

$attack attach-agent $udp

$attack set packetSize_ $size

$attack set interval_ $interval

return $attack

}

# Bots execute DDoS attack

set attack1 [launch_attack $bot1 $target 0.01 512]

set attack2 [launch_attack $bot2 $target 0.01 512]

set attack3 [launch_attack $bot3 $target 0.01 512]

# Start botnet attack

$ns at 3.0 “$attack1 start”

$ns at 3.0 “$attack2 start”

$ns at 3.0 “$attack3 start”

# Finish simulation

$ns at 7.0 “finish”

proc finish {} {

global ns tracefile namfile

$ns flush-trace

close $tracefile

close $namfile

exec nam botnet_attack.nam &

exit 0

}

# Run the simulation

$ns run

  1. Run the Simulation
  • We need to store the tcl simulation script like botnet_attack.tcl.
  • Then run the simulation within the terminal of NS2:

ns botnet_attack.tcl

  • Outputs:
    • Trace File (botnet_attack.tr): It helps to record every packet-level events.
    • NAM File (botnet_attack.nam): Envision the simulation to apply NAM (Network Animator).
  1. Analyze Results
  • Trace File Analysis:
    • Measure the performance parameters to utilize AWK, Python, or MATLAB tools for:
      • Total traffic made by bots.
      • Influence over legitimate traffic such as packet delivery ratio, latency.
      • Network congestion or resource exhaustion.
  • Visualization:
    • Monitor the bot traffic and their impact on the target to apply NAM file for visualization.
  1. Experiment with Scenarios
  • Larger Botnets:
    • We can integrate additional bot nodes and then examine the scalability.
  • Different Attack Types:
    • Replicate diverse kinds of attack like spam, data exfiltration, or other attack types.
  • Legitimate Traffic:
    • Maximize the legitimate traffic and also examine the influence of botnet.
  1. Implement Mitigation Techniques
  • Rate Limiting:
    • Restrict the rate of packets that are effectively transmitted to the victim node.
  • Traffic Filtering:
    • Obstruct packets for traffic filtering from identified bots.
  • Anomaly Detection:
    • Identify the unexpected traffic run through indicative of botnet activity.
  1. Document the Results
  • This project should have report that contains:
    • Simulation configuration and metrics.
    • Performance parameters like throughput, latency, and packet delivery ratio.
    • Graphs for envisioning the effect of the botnet attack.
  • To envision the outcomes we can utilize MATLAB or Gnuplot tools.
  1. Advanced Project Ideas
  • Stealthy Botnets:
    • We will replicate the botnets, which apply low-rate attacks for preventing detection.
  • Botnet in Wireless Networks:
    • We want to expand the project for replicating botnets within mobile or IoT networks.
  • Mitigation Techniques:
    • Equate the diverse countermeasures efficiency to utilize mitigations mechanisms.

In the end of the simulation, we all learn and acquire knowledge about the Botnets Attack that was executed and simulated in NS2 simulation tool. We will elaborate on the Botnets Attack strategy applied in different simulation scenarios in further manual.