Protocol Channels

TL;DR

This paper introduces protocol channels, a novel covert storage channel technique that uses protocol switching to transmit data covertly, making detection difficult due to packet uniformity.

Contribution

It presents a new covert storage channel method called protocol channels that switch protocols to hide data transmission, enhancing stealth against detection.

Findings

Protocol channels can transmit data covertly without altering packet appearance.

They are difficult to detect due to uniform packet appearance.

The technique demonstrates a new way to evade traditional detection methods.

Abstract

Covert channel techniques are used by attackers to transfer data in a way prohibited by the security policy. There are two main categories of covert channels: timing channels and storage channels. This paper introduces a new storage channel technique called a protocol channel. A protocol channel switches one of at least two protocols to send a bit combination to a destination. The main goal of a protocol channel is that packets containing covert information look equal to all other packets within a network, what makes a protocol channel hard to detect.