How to Start Passive Attacks Projects Using OMNeT++

To start a passive attack project in OMNeT++ has been important to first understand what passive attacks are. The passive attack has includes the eavesdropping on the communication among the devices for the network deprived of actively interfering by the transmission. A sample of passive attacks involves the traffic analysis, packet sniffing, and monitoring network traffic we collect the complex information like passwords, private keys, etc.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to start replicate of passive attacks such as packet sniffing or traffic analysis using OMNeT++.

Steps to Start Passive Attacks Projects Using OMNeT++

Step 1: Install OMNeT++ and INET Framework

Previously you can create; we want to have the OMNeT++ and the INET Framework setting

  1. Install OMNeT++:
    • Download and install OMNeT++ from OMNeT++ website.
    • Follow the installation procedures according to the operating system for sample Linux, macOS, or Windows.
  2. Install INET Framework:
    • The INET Framework offers the network protocol execution and assign for simple replication for the network topologies.
    • Download it from GitHub and follow the installation procedures.

Step 2: Create Your Simulation Network Topology

To replicate a passive attack, we will require describing the network topology in which the one or more devices such as attackers passively follow on the congestion among other devices. The attacker could be a device which seizure the all packets being transfer the network.

Example: Simple Network with an Attacker Node

Build a simple network through an attacker and a few hosts transmitting through every other. The attacker will perform as a passive observer, capturing congestion nevertheless not altering it.

Example topology.ned file

network PassiveAttackNetwork

{

submodules:

attacker: PassiveSniffer;   // The attacker that sniffs traffic

host1: EthernetHost;        // Host 1 that communicates with host2

host2: EthernetHost;        // Host 2 that communicates with host1

router: Router;             // A router to route traffic between hosts

connections:

attacker.ethg++ <–> EthernetInterface <–> router.ethg++;

host1.ethg++ <–> EthernetInterface <–> router.ethg++;

host2.ethg++ <–> EthernetInterface <–> router.ethg++;

}

  • Attacker Module (PassiveSniffer): This component will be used to passively follow on the network congestion.
  • Host 1 and Host 2: These are communicating the devices for instance, computers or IoT devices for a host1 and host2.
  • Router: A simple router to route the congestion among the host1 and host2.

Step 3: Implement the Passive Sniffer Module

Currently, we want to state the PassiveSniffer which replicates the component for the passive attack. This component will simply “sniff” the congestion on the network deprived of varying the replicating of packet capture or examine the congestion.

Example: PassiveSniffer.cc

#include <omnetpp.h>

#include <INETDefs.h>

#include <EthernetIIFrame_m.h>

#include <IPv4Datagram_m.h>

class PassiveSniffer : public cSimpleModule

{

protected:

virtual void initialize() override {

// Schedule packet capture (for example, every 1 second)

scheduleAt(simTime() + 1.0, new cMessage(“capturePacket”));

}

virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override {

if (strcmp(msg->getName(), “capturePacket”) == 0) {

// Here you can capture the packets passing through this node

// Simply output information to console or log it

// Example: Capturing all Ethernet frames

EthernetIIFrame *ethFrame = check_and_cast<EthernetIIFrame *>(msg);

if (ethFrame) {

// Output the captured packet’s information

EV << “Captured Ethernet frame with destination: ”

<< ethFrame->getDest().str() << “\n”;

EV << “Captured Ethernet frame with source: ”

<< ethFrame->getSrc().str() << “\n”;

// Further processing can be done (e.g., filter traffic, extract data, etc.)

}

delete msg;  // Don’t forget to delete the message after processing

}

else {

delete msg;

}

// Reschedule the next packet capture

scheduleAt(simTime() + 1.0, new cMessage(“capturePacket”));

}

};

Define_Module(PassiveSniffer);

Explanation:

  • PassiveSniffer Module: This component attends to the network and captures the packets transferring through it for sample in this case, Ethernet frames.
  • The module methods the captured packets in this example, it prints the source and destination MAC addresses nevertheless does not interfere by the network transmission.
  • It then reschedules the packet seizure every 1 second, replicating the continuous observes for network congestion.

Step 4: Update the .ned Network File

Next apply the PassiveSniffer components, bring up-to-date the .ned file it contains the modify components.

Updated topology.ned file

network PassiveAttackNetwork

{

submodules:

attacker: PassiveSniffer;   // Attacker (passive sniffer) module

host1: EthernetHost;        // Host 1 that communicates with host2

host2: EthernetHost;        // Host 2 that communicates with host1

router: Router;             // Router

connections:

attacker.ethg++ <–> EthernetInterface <–> router.ethg++;

host1.ethg++ <–> EthernetInterface <–> router.ethg++;

host2.ethg++ <–> EthernetInterface <–> router.ethg++;

}

Step 5: Configure the Simulation Parameters

In the omnetpp.ini configuration file, we will state the parameters for the replication, like as IP addresses, packet capture, and other simulation settings.

Example omnetpp.ini

*.attacker.packetCapture = true

*.attacker.pcapFile = “passive_attack_output.pcap”

*.host1.ipv4.address = “192.168.0.1”

*.host2.ipv4.address = “192.168.0.2”

*.router.ipv4.address = “192.168.0.254”

  • Packet Capture: The attackers will seizure their packets and store to a .pcap file that can be examine using the Wireshark or other packet analysis tools.
  • IP Configuration: We describe the IP addresses for the hosts and router that is essential for the network congestion routing.

Step 6: Run the Simulation

  1. Build the Project:
    • In OMNeT++, make the project we compile the modify components for sample PassiveSniffer.
    • Create certain there are no errors and the replication is prepared.
  2. Run the Simulation:
    • Replication for the process of OMNeT++ IDE or from the command line.
    • The attacker will passively follow the traffic among host1 and host2, seizure and examine the packets deprived of interfering by the transmission.

Step 7: Analyze the Results

After the replication is complete, we can open the captured congestion in Wireshark or a same packet analyser.

  1. Open the .pcap file captured by the attacker:
    • We can examine the congestion captured through the attacker, has includes the source and destination IPs, packet sizes, protocols, etc.
    • In Wireshark, use filters such as ip, icmp, tcp, or udp to concentrate on specific kind of congestion.
  2. Inspect the Traffic:
    • Checked the complex data such as IP addresses, protocol headers, or packet contents can be concluded from the seizure traffic. This can be replicating the real-world passive attack in which an attacker is trying to collect the data deprived of directly interfering by the transmission.

Step 8: Enhance the Simulation

Next you have the apply for essential passive attack (packet sniffing), we can enhance the replication by the following knowledge:

  1. Simulate Traffic Analysis:
    • Apply the packet analysis logic we extract the important information from the packets, like as recognize that application protocols are being used for sample HTTP, FTP, etc.
  2. Simulate Eavesdropping on Encrypted Traffic:
    • Encode the replication of congestion and discover on how the attacker might perform traffic analysis to conclude the designs or collect the metadata about the transmission, even if the content is encoded.
  3. Add More Attackers:
    • A network replicate in which several attackers are sniffing congestion in various sections for the network, build a additional complex passive attack environment.
  4. Simulate the Use of IDS:
    • Enhance the Intrusion Detection System (IDS) which can find the passive sniffing efforts according to the unusual traffic patterns.

Conclusion

To start a passive attack project in OMNeT++, you need to:

  1. Setting the network topology by attacker(s) and hosts.
  2. Apply the PassiveSniffer component we seizure the study of network congestion.
  3. Setting the replication parameter metrices for the process of replication.
  4. Seizure the network congestion and study it using the Wireshark or same tools to follow for the impact of passive attack.
  5. Optionally, encompass the replication through the congestion examine, several attackers, and finding the systems.

This method supports the model and analysis the passive attacks, like as traffic sniffing and analysis, in a network.

Overall the simulation will be successfully demonstrated and illustrated for passive attack with the help of OMNeT++ tool that has contain brief procedures, extension of the simulation along with code snippets. If you did like to know more information we will offered it.