How to Implement network Secure Coding Practice in OMNeT++
To implement the network secure coding practice in OMNeT++, we have to simulate a network that has an application obey to guard the coding principles that helps to prevent common security weakness like buffer overflows, injection attacks and inappropriate input validation. Follow the below procedure to accomplish it in OMNeT++:
Step-by-Step Implementation:
- Define the Network Topology
First, we have to describe a basic network topology that contains clients, an application server, and a database server. This setup will permit us to mimic interactions amongst clients and the application, concentrating on how secure coding practices are applied to guard the network.
network SecureCodingNetwork
{
submodules:
client1: StandardHost {
@display(“p=100,100”);
}
client2: StandardHost {
@display(“p=100,200”);
}
router: Router {
@display(“p=300,150”);
}
appServer: SecureAppServerModule {
@display(“p=500,150”);
}
dbServer: StandardHost {
@display(“p=700,150”);
}
connections:
client1.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> router.ethg++;
client2.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> router.ethg++;
router.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> appServer.ethg++;
appServer.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> dbServer.ethg++;
}
- Implement Secure Input Validation
Input validation is the one of the vital secure coding practices. It makes sure that every user inputs are correctly verified before processing to prevent injection attacks like SQL injection or command injection.
Secure Application Server Module with Input Validation
// SecureAppServerModule.cc
#include <omnetpp.h>
#include “inet/common/INETDefs.h”
#include “inet/common/packet/Packet.h”
#include <string>
#include <regex>
using namespace omnetpp;
using namespace inet;
class SecureAppServerModule : public cSimpleModule
{
protected:
virtual void initialize() override;
virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;
bool validateInput(const std::string &input);
void processRequest(Packet *packet);
};
Define_Module(SecureAppServerModule);
void SecureAppServerModule::initialize()
{
EV << “Secure Application Server Initialized” << endl;
}
void SecureAppServerModule::handleMessage(cMessage *msg)
{
if (Packet *packet = dynamic_cast<Packet *>(msg)) {
const auto& payload = packet->peekData();
std::string userInput(payload->str());
if (validateInput(userInput)) {
EV << “Input validation passed. Processing request…” << endl;
processRequest(packet);
} else {
EV << “Input validation failed. Request dropped.” << endl;
delete packet;
}
}
}
bool SecureAppServerModule::validateInput(const std::string &input)
{
// Example: Simple validation to prevent SQL injection
std::regex sqlInjectionPattern(“([‘;]+|–|[\”+])”);
if (std::regex_search(input, sqlInjectionPattern)) {
EV << “Potential SQL injection detected in input: ” << input << endl;
return false;
}
// Example: Prevent command injection
std::regex commandInjectionPattern(“([|;&`$()<>]+)”);
if (std::regex_search(input, commandInjectionPattern)) {
EV << “Potential command injection detected in input: ” << input << endl;
return false;
}
return true; // Input is safe
}
void SecureAppServerModule::processRequest(Packet *packet)
{
// Process the request securely
EV << “Processing request: ” << packet->str() << endl;
send(packet, “out”);
}
- Implement Secure Data Handling
Another acute aspect of secure coding is making sure that sensitive data (like passwords, tokens, etc.) is managed securely like by hashing passwords before loading them in a database.
Secure Data Handling with Hashing
// SecureDataHandlingModule.cc
#include <omnetpp.h>
#include “inet/common/INETDefs.h”
#include “inet/common/packet/Packet.h”
#include <string>
#include <openssl/sha.h>
using namespace omnetpp;
using namespace inet;
class SecureDataHandlingModule : public cSimpleModule
{
protected:
virtual void initialize() override;
virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;
std::string hashPassword(const std::string &password);
void storeUserCredentials(const std::string &username, const std::string &hashedPassword);
};
Define_Module(SecureDataHandlingModule);
void SecureDataHandlingModule::initialize()
{
EV << “Secure Data Handling Module Initialized” << endl;
}
void SecureDataHandlingModule::handleMessage(cMessage *msg)
{
if (Packet *packet = dynamic_cast<Packet *>(msg)) {
const auto& payload = packet->peekData();
std::string userInput(payload->str());
// Simulate extracting username and password from input
std::string username = “user”; // Extracted from input
std::string password = “password”; // Extracted from input
// Hash the password before storing
std::string hashedPassword = hashPassword(password);
storeUserCredentials(username, hashedPassword);
EV << “User credentials processed securely.” << endl;
send(packet, “out”);
}
}
std::string SecureDataHandlingModule::hashPassword(const std::string &password)
{
unsigned char hash[SHA256_DIGEST_LENGTH];
SHA256_CTX sha256;
SHA256_Init(&sha256);
SHA256_Update(&sha256, password.c_str(), password.size());
SHA256_Final(hash, &sha256);
std::stringstream ss;
for (int i = 0; i < SHA256_DIGEST_LENGTH; i++) {
ss << std::hex << std::setw(2) << std::setfill(‘0’) << (int)hash[i];
}
return ss.str();
}
void SecureDataHandlingModule::storeUserCredentials(const std::string &username, const std::string &hashedPassword)
{
EV << “Storing user credentials: ” << username << ” with hashed password: ” << hashedPassword << endl;
// Simulate storing the credentials securely in a database
}
- Implement Error Handling and Logging
Make certain that errors are stored without revealing sensitive information to the end-user by implementing error handling and logging. It is necessary for secure coding practices.
Secure Error Handling and Logging
// SecureErrorHandlingModule.cc
#include <omnetpp.h>
#include “inet/common/INETDefs.h”
#include “inet/common/packet/Packet.h”
#include <string>
using namespace omnetpp;
using namespace inet;
class SecureErrorHandlingModule : public cSimpleModule
{
protected:
virtual void initialize() override;
virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;
void logError(const std::string &error);
};
Define_Module(SecureErrorHandlingModule);
void SecureErrorHandlingModule::initialize()
{
EV << “Secure Error Handling Module Initialized” << endl;
}
void SecureErrorHandlingModule::handleMessage(cMessage *msg)
{
if (Packet *packet = dynamic_cast<Packet *>(msg)) {
const auto& payload = packet->peekData();
std::string userInput(payload->str());
// Simulate processing the input and encountering an error
bool errorOccurred = true; // Simulated error condition
if (errorOccurred) {
logError(“An error occurred while processing the request.”);
EV << “Request processing failed. Returning generic error message to the user.” << endl;
// Send a generic error response without revealing internal details
delete packet;
} else {
send(packet, “out”);
}
}
}
void SecureErrorHandlingModule::logError(const std::string &error)
{
EV << “Error: ” << error << endl;
// Log the error securely (e.g., in a file or security log system)
}
- Integrate Secure Coding Modules
Simulate a system that obeys to secure coding practices by incorporating the secure coding modules within the network.
network SecureCodingNetwork
{
submodules:
client1: StandardHost {
@display(“p=100,100”);
}
client2: StandardHost {
@display(“p=100,200”);
}
router: Router {
@display(“p=300,150”);
}
appServer: SecureAppServerModule {
@display(“p=500,150”);
}
dbServer: SecureDataHandlingModule {
@display(“p=700,150”);
}
errorHandler: SecureErrorHandlingModule {
@display(“p=600,250”);
}
connections:
client1.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> router.ethg++;
client2.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> router.ethg++;
router.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> appServer.ethg++;
appServer.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> dbServer.ethg++;
appServer.ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> errorHandler.in++;
}
- Simulate Secure Operations
Examine the efficiency of secure coding practices by simulating numerous operations like input validation, data handling and error logging.
Secure Operations Simulation Module
// SecureOperationsSimulationModule.cc
#include <omnetpp.h>
#include “inet/applications/tcpapp/TcpAppBase.h”
using namespace omnetpp;
using namespace inet;
class SecureOperationsSimulationModule : public TcpAppBase
{
protected:
virtual void initialize(int stage) override;
virtual void handleMessageWhenUp(cMessage *msg) override;
void simulateSecureRequest();
void simulateInvalidInput();
void simulateErrorHandling();
};
Define_Module(SecureOperationsSimulationModule);
void SecureOperationsSimulationModule::initialize(int stage)
{
TcpAppBase::initialize(stage);
if (stage == inet::INITSTAGE_APPLICATION_LAYER) {
scheduleAt(simTime() + 3, new cMessage(“simulateSecureRequest”));
scheduleAt(simTime() + 5, new cMessage(“simulateInvalidInput”));
scheduleAt(simTime() + 7, new cMessage(“simulateErrorHandling”));
}
}
void SecureOperationsSimulationModule::handleMessageWhenUp(cMessage *msg)
{
if (strcmp(msg->getName(), “simulateSecureRequest”) == 0) {
simulateSecureRequest();
delete msg;
} else if (strcmp(msg->getName(), “simulateInvalidInput”) == 0) {
simulateInvalidInput();
delete msg;
} else if (strcmp(msg->getName(), “simulateErrorHandling”) == 0) {
simulateErrorHandling();
delete msg;
} else {
TcpAppBase::handleMessageWhenUp(msg);
}
}
void SecureOperationsSimulationModule::simulateSecureRequest()
{
EV << “Simulating secure request…” << endl;
sendRequest(“GET /data?input=validData HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: appServer\r\n\r\n”);
}
void SecureOperationsSimulationModule::simulateInvalidInput()
{
EV << “Simulating invalid input…” << endl;
sendRequest(“GET /data?input=’ OR ‘1’=’1 HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: appServer\r\n\r\n”);
}
void SecureOperationsSimulationModule::simulateErrorHandling()
{
EV << “Simulating error handling…” << endl;
sendRequest(“GET /data?input=errorTrigger HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: appServer\r\n\r\n”);
}
- Run the Simulation
Compile and run the simulation in OMNeT++. The SecureAppServerModule will manage secure input validation, the SecureDataHandlingModule will securely process and store user data, and the SecureErrorHandlingModule will log errors short of exposing sensitive information.
- Analyze the Results
Evaluate the OMNeT++ simulation log to see how the secure coding practices were applied. Validate that:
- Input validation successfully blocked malicious inputs.
- Sensitive data, like passwords, was securely hashed before storage.
- Errors were logged securely without revealing internal system details.
- Extend the Secure Coding Features
You can extend this setup by:
- Implementing advanced input validation: Use more sophisticated validation techniques for various kinds of inputs (for instance: XML, JSON).
- Enhancing data protection: Execute encryption for data in transit and at rest, in addition to hashing.
- Simulating more complex errors: Assess how the system manages a diversity of errors, containing those triggered by unexpected input or system failures.
- Integrating secure coding practices with CI/CD pipelines: Simulate the integration of security checks within continuous integration and deployment environments.
At the end of this procedure, we gained the overall knowledge of the implementation process of network secure coding practice in the OMNeT++ and how to extend their functionalities in the simulation network with examples.
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