How to Start Secure Email Communications Projects Using NS2

The NS2 (Network Simulator 2) is typically has includes the network communication replication and does not natively help for email protocols or secure the email systems. Nevertheless, we can replicate the features for secure the email communication through modeling its components in a networked environment. This contains the concentrating on the fundamental transport and security protocols for sample SMTP, POP3, IMAP, TLS/SSL).

Here’s a step-by-step guide to start a Secure Email Communication project using NS2:

Steps to Start Secure Email Communications Projects Using NS2

  1. Define the Scope of the Project

Define the concentrate of the secure email communication project:

  • Encryption: Encode the replicate for TLS/SSL aimed at the secure email transmission.
  • Authentication: Integrate the authentication mechanisms such as digital signatures or certificates.
  • Email Protocols: The email protocols are replicating the SMTP, POP3, IMAP functionalities.
  • Network Security: Analysis the potential attacks for sample MITM, spam and their mitigation for the network security.
  1. Install NS2
  1. Download NS2 from the official website.
  2. Setting the Linux environment for improve the compatibility.
  3. Validate the installation through processing the sample scripts.
  1. Understand Email Communication Components
  • SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): Used for the forwarding emails.
  • POP3/IMAP (Post Office Protocol 3/Internet Message Access Protocol): Intended for receiving and handling the emails.
  • TLS/SSL: Designed for securing the email communication.

Then NS2 does not directly help these protocols, we can design their behavior using transport protocols such as TCP.

  1. Design a Secure Email Communication Topology

Create a topology that includes:

  1. Email Servers:
    • Mails servers are replicating the using nodes which communicate complete the TCP.
    • Signify the functionality like as sending/receiving messages and it maintaining the encryption/decryption.
  2. Clients:
    • Email clients are replicating the connecting to servers for sending/receiving emails.
  3. Network Infrastructure:
    • It contains the routers and connection for characterize the network.
  1. Write TCL Script

Generate a TCL script to describe the network for replicate the secure email communication.

Step 1: Define Nodes and Links

set ns [new Simulator]

# Create nodes

set client [ $ns node ]

set mail_server [ $ns node ]

set router [ $ns node ]

# Create links

$ns duplex-link $client $router 10Mb 10ms DropTail

$ns duplex-link $router $mail_server 10Mb 10ms DropTail

Step 2: Configure Protocols

Simulate secure email protocols using TCP and TLS/SSL:

  • Use the set-up protocol such as TCP for SMTP, POP3, or IMAP communication.
  • Design the TLS/SSL through increase the delay, encryption overhead, and important alternation replication.

# Attach TCP agent to client and server

set tcp [new Agent/TCP]

$ns attach-agent $client $tcp

set sink [new Agent/TCPSink]

$ns attach-agent $mail_server $sink

# Connect client and server

$ns connect $tcp $sink

Step 3: Simulate Email Transmission

Simulate sending and receiving an email:

# Traffic generation for email sending

set email_traffic [new Application/Traffic/CBR]

$email_traffic set packetSize_ 512

$email_traffic set rate_ 100Kb

$email_traffic attach-agent $tcp

# Start transmission

$ns at 1.0 “$email_traffic start”

Step 4: Add Security Features

  • Simulate TLS Handshake:
    • The main alter is increase for the delays and encode.
  • Model Encryption/Decryption Overhead:
    • Designed for data packets are improved the processing time.

Example:

# Add delay to simulate encryption overhead

proc add_encryption_overhead {time node} {

global ns

$ns at $time “$node color blue” ;# Visualize encryption in NAM

$ns at [expr $time + 0.05] “$node color black” ;# Reset color

}

$ns at 0.5 “add_encryption_overhead $client”

  1. Analyze Performance

Analyze the use performance NS2’s trace file we estimate the performance for secure the email communication:

  • Throughput: Calculate on how various emails are communicated in the time.
  • Delay: Estimate the encode overhead and effect for the email delivery.
  • Packet Loss: Examine the reliability for secure the email communication.
  1. Visualize Results
  • Use NAM (Network Animator) to envision for the email transmission.
  • Use the outcome tools like Xgraph to plot parameter metrics such as throughput and delay.
  1. Extend Functionality
  1. Simulate Attacks:
    • Establish an attack such as Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) or spam injection.
    • Validate the secure email systems for resilience.
  2. Add Authentication:
    • The digital signatures are replicate or public-key infrastructure (PKI).
  3. Implement Realistic Traffic:
    • Use same congestion design for real-world email communication.
  1. Explore Alternatives

If NS2 lacks the flexibility for your project:

  • Use NS3: Further suitable for security design and replicate the protocol.
  • Use MATLAB: It delivers the tools for encode and replication of email protocol.

Example Applications

  1. Secure Email Protocol Simulation:
    • Associate the plaintext transmission for email through TLS-secured transmission.
  2. Email Authentication:
    • Design the authentication methods such as DKIM or SPF.
  3. Spam Filtering:
    • Launch the congestion spam and replicate the filtering mechanisms.

We had successfully executed the secure email communication using the ns2tool that provides the best path for transmission. All additional project-related information will be provided in another manual.