How to Start Digital Forensics Projects Using NS2

To start a Digital Forensics project in NS2 which contains intending, configuring the situations, and replicating the network scenarios correlated to digital evidence collection, analysis, or incident rebuilding. Below is a structured method to get started:

Steps to Start Digital Forensics Projects in NS2

1. Understand the Scope of Digital Forensics

In NS2, digital forensics normally utilises to replicate:

• Network traffic analysis to detect the anomalies or malicious activities.
• Packet-level logging and inspection for observing data leaks or attacks.
• Forensic analysis of security breaches like intrusion attempts, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, or unauthorized data access.

Decide on the project goals like:

• Event correlation in network attacks.
• Intrusion detection and forensic investigation.
• Traffic reconstruction.
• Tracing malicious nodes in a network.

2. Set Up the NS2 Environment

1. Install NS2:
   • We can download and set up NS2 using version 2.35 on a Linux-based system.
   • Adhere to provided installation steps based on the OS.
   • Make sure that prerequisites such as Tcl, OTcl, and NAM are installed properly.
2. Verify Installation:
   • We can execute a basic simulation script for verifying NS2 is correctly operating.
3. Optional Enhancements:
   • We can install required tools such as Wireshark for packet inspection or add custom forensic tools.

3. Familiarize Yourself with NS2 Basics

• Focus on TCL scripting that is utilised for making simulations.
• Learn the NS2 architecture:
  • Nodes: It denotes network devices.
  • Links: Describe the interaction routes.
  • Trace Files: It helps to save all network events records.
• Analyse the built-in protocols like TCP, UDP and then monitor how they can be utilised within forensic situations.

4. Define Your Forensics Scenario

We will need to address certain digital forensics issues such as:

• Network Intrusion Detection:
  • Replicate the attacks and then examine the network records for detecting malicious activities.
• Packet Tracing:
  • Detect the source of attack by way of observing the IP addresses, ports, or payload signatures for tracing the packet.
• Data Exfiltration:
  • Replicate and identify the suspicious file transfers or unauthorized data leaks.
• Incident Reconstruction:
  • Reconstruct the attack’s timeline with the support of network records.

5. Create or Modify TCL Scripts

• Simulation Script Structure:
  • Make a network topology that contains nodes, links, and protocols.
  • Integrate the malicious nodes for mimicking attacks or anomalies.
  • Set trace files to record the activities of network.
• Forensics Configuration Examples:
  • Allow in-depth recording for packet-level analysis in forensics:

set tracefile [open forensic-trace.tr w]

$ns trace-all $tracefile

• • Replicate an attack such as DDoS by means of making traffic from malicious nodes.

6. Analyze Trace Files

• During the simulation, NS2 environment makes trace files that include in-depth network events records like packet send/receive/drop, delays, routing decisions.
• Use Tools for Analysis:
  • Wireshark: We can import NS2 packet traces using Wireshark tool for visualization and filtering.
  • AWK/Python: Program the extraction of forensic-relevant information like suspicious IP addresses, abnormal traffic models by leveraging the AWK or Python tools.

awk ‘{ if ($1 == “d” && $4 ~ /malicious-node/) print $0 }’ forensic-trace.tr

7. Validate the Simulation

• Make certain that the forensic purposes like detecting attack models, rebuilding traffic are encountered.
• We will need to equate the simulation results including known baselines or theoretical expectations.

8. Visualize the Simulation

• Envision the network activity with the support of Network Animator (NAM).
  • Examine:
    • Malicious traffic models.
    •  Packet flow among the nodes.
    • Dropped packets during attacks.

9. Extend with Advanced Forensic Features

We can deliberate to add or replicate the forensic aspects for more complex projects:

• AI/ML for anomaly detection:
  • Categorize traffic like normal or suspicious according to the trace file data to utilise machine learning models.
• Blockchain forensics:
  • Replicate the secure transaction that helps to monitor within blockchain-based networks.
• IoT Forensics:
  • Mimic IoT devices and examine its interaction for vulnerabilities.

10. Document Your Work

This project provides comprehensive insights containing:

1. Problem statement.
2. Network topology and sets up.
3. Security and forensic approaches.
4. Outcomes and analysis.
5. Insights and conclusions.

Example Project Ideas:

1. DDoS Attack Reconstruction:
   • We will replicate a DDoS attack and examine the network traces for detecting attacker nodes.
2. Traffic Anomaly Detection:
   • Detect unusual traffic anomaly models to utilise forensic analysis.
3. Forensic Investigation in IoT:
   • Identify and examine the compromised IoT devices within a simulated smart home network for forensic analysis.
4. Encrypted Data Analysis:
   • We need to execute the encrypted interaction and replicate the attempts to decrypt and discover it for data analysis.

Overall, we have discussed about the simulation process of Digital Forensics Projects using ns3 tool that encompasses numerous steps and essential concepts. We will further give the elaborated information regarding this project.