doi: 10.17586/2226-1494-2018-18-5-834-842


COVERT CHANNEL TECHNIQUE BASED ON STREAMING PROTOCOL

P. M. Shipulin, V. V. Kozin, A. N. Shniperov


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Shipulin P.M., Kozin V.V., Shniperov A.N. Covert channel technique based on streaming protocol. Scientific and Technical Journal of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, 2018, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 834–842 (in Russian). doi: 10.17586/2226-1494-2018-18-5-834-842


Abstract
The paper presents analysis of modern network covert channels. The authors set forward a hypothesis of effective streaming protocol usage for covert channel creating. Covert channel technique for open networks is proposed. RTP-based covert channel functional model is described. Estimated characteristics of software prototype are reported. The results of stegano system software prototype operational testing in laboratory conditions and the Internet are described.  Software prototype demonstrated high covertness with allowable capacity for many tasks. At the same time transfer characteristics decrease with the complication of network topology. Obtained research results have two application domains of prime importance. On the one hand, illegal covert channel detection methods can be used by DLP-systems developers, law-enforcement agencies and defense establishments. On the other hand, the proposed method for covert information transmission can be used in telemetered covert channel creation, for example, satellite communication.

Keywords: steganography, stegano system, covert channel, covert information transmission, network steganography, streaming transfer protocol

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