How to Implement Network Attacks in OMNeT++

To implement the network attacks in OMNeT++ comprises planning and take off numerous forms of attacks, like packet sniffing, Man-in-the-Middle which is MitM, and Denial of Service which is DoS, to learning their effect on network concert and calculate security procedures. Below is the procedure to executing the network attacks in OMNeT++ by using the INET framework:

Step-by-Step Implementations:

Install OMNeT++ and INET Framework

To make a certain to install the OMNeT++ and the INET Framework.

Create a New OMNeT++ Project

Open OMNeT++ IDE: Start the OMNeT++ IDE.
Create a New Project: Go to File -> New -> OMNeT++ Project. Name their project like NetworkAttackSimulation.

Define the Network Topology

To generate a innovative NED file to express the network topology, as well as regular hosts, routers, and attacker nodes.

Example: Network Attack Topology (NetworkAttack.ned)

package networkattack;

import inet.node.inet.StandardHost;

import inet.node.inet.Router;

network NetworkAttack

{

parameters:

@display(“bgb=800,400”);

submodules:

host1: StandardHost {

@display(“p=100,200”);

}

host2: StandardHost {

@display(“p=300,200”);

}

router: Router {

@display(“p=200,100”);

}

attacker: StandardHost {

@display(“p=100,50”);

}

connections allowunconnected:

host1.ethg++ <–> Eth10M <–> router.ethg++;

host2.ethg++ <–> Eth10M <–> router.ethg++;

attacker.ethg++ <–> Eth10M <–> router.ethg++;

}

Configure the Simulation

To configure the parameter of the emulations to build an OMNeT++ initialization file.

Example: Configuration File (omnetpp.ini)

[General]

network = networkattack.NetworkAttack

sim-time-limit = 200s

# Visualization

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayBackground = true

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayGrid = true

# Host Configuration

*.host*.numApps = 1

*.host*.app[0].typename = “UdpBasicApp”

*.host*.app[0].destAddresses = “host2”

*.host*.app[0].destPort = 5000

*.host*.app[0].messageLength = 1024B

*.host*.app[0].sendInterval = 1s

# Attacker Configuration

*.attacker.numApps = 1

*.attacker.app[0].typename = “AttackerApp”

*.attacker.app[0].destAddresses = “host1”

*.attacker.app[0].destPort = 5000

*.attacker.app[0].messageLength = 1024B

*.attacker.app[0].sendInterval = 0.1s

# IP Address Configuration

*.host1.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“host1.xml”)

*.host2.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“host2.xml”)

*.router.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“router.xml”)

*.attacker.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“attacker.xml”)

Create IP Address Configuration Files

To express the IP address configuration of the every node to make a XML files.

Example: IP Configuration File for host1 (host1.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for host2 (host2.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for router (router.xml)

</interface>

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for attacker (attacker.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Implement Attack Logic

To implement convention submissions for the attacker node to simulate network attacks.

Example: Attacker Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

#include <inet/applications/udpapp/UdpBasicApp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

using namespace inet;

class AttackerApp : public UdpBasicApp

{

protected:

virtual void initialize(int stage) override;

virtual void handleMessageWhenUp(cMessage *msg) override;

void launchDoSAttack();

void launchMitMAttack(cMessage *msg);

void sniffPackets(cMessage *msg);

};

Define_Module(AttackerApp);

void AttackerApp::initialize(int stage) {

UdpBasicApp::initialize(stage);

if (stage == INITSTAGE_APPLICATION_LAYER) {

// Schedule periodic DoS attack

scheduleAt(simTime() + uniform(0, 1), new cMessage(“launchDoS”));

}

void AttackerApp::handleMessageWhenUp(cMessage *msg) {

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

launchDoSAttack();

scheduleAt(simTime() + 1, msg);

} else {

launchMitMAttack(msg);

sniffPackets(msg);

UdpBasicApp::handleMessageWhenUp(msg);

}

void AttackerApp::launchDoSAttack() {

// Logic to send a large number of packets to the target to overload it

for (int i = 0; i < 100; ++i) {

cMessage *msg = new cMessage(“DoSAttack”);

send(msg, “out”);

}

void AttackerApp::launchMitMAttack(cMessage *msg) {

// Logic to intercept and modify packets (Man-in-the-Middle attack)

// Example: modify the payload of the packet

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

// Modify the packet content here

}

void AttackerApp::sniffPackets(cMessage *msg) {

// Logic to sniff packets and log them

// Example: log the packet content

EV << “Sniffed packet: ” << msg->getName() << endl;

}

Implement Defense Mechanisms (Optional)

To implement security mechanisms to value their success alongside the attacks.

Example: Intrusion Detection System (IDS) Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

#include <inet/applications/udpapp/UdpBasicApp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

using namespace inet;

class IDSApp : public UdpBasicApp

{

protected:

virtual void initialize(int stage) override;

virtual void handleMessageWhenUp(cMessage *msg) override;

void detectIntrusion(cMessage *msg);

};

Define_Module(IDSApp);

void IDSApp::initialize(int stage) {

UdpBasicApp::initialize(stage);

if (stage == INITSTAGE_APPLICATION_LAYER) {

// Custom initialization code

}

void IDSApp::handleMessageWhenUp(cMessage *msg) {

detectIntrusion(msg);

UdpBasicApp::handleMessageWhenUp(msg);

}

void IDSApp::detectIntrusion(cMessage *msg) {

// Implement intrusion detection logic

// Example: analyze packet patterns and detect anomalies

}

Run the Simulation

Build the Project: Right-click on the project and pick out the Build Project.
Run the Simulation: Make sense on the green play button in the OMNeT++ IDE towards start the simulation.

We have provided some highly effective implementation ideas to enhance the understanding of both factual and simulated Network Attacks in OMNeT++. Stay connected with us for additional simulation results.