To simulate a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack using OMNeT++ and the INET framework encompasses making a network in which several attacker nodes (zombies/bots) flood a target node (victim) with a large volume of traffic, overwhelming the target and disrupting its ability to work for legitimate requests. Below we offer common guide to replicate the DDoS attack using OMNeT++
Key Components for a DDoS Attack Simulation:
- Victim Node (Server): The aim of the DDoS attack.
- Attacker Nodes (Bots): Numerous nodes that transmit malicious traffic to the victim.
- Legitimate Client Nodes: Nodes that transmit legitimate traffic to the server to experiment how the server performs during and after the attack.
- Flooding Traffic: The type of traffic utilized by the attackers (e.g., TCP SYN flood, UDP flood, HTTP request flood).
Step-by-Step Guide to Simulate a DDoS Attack using OMNeT++:
- Install OMNeT++ and INET Framework
- We can download and install OMNeT++ from here.
- Download and install the INET framework from INET GitHub repository.
- INET framework offers numerous network components (nodes, protocols) are needed to mimic DDoS attacks.
- Set Up the Network Topology in NED
Make a network in which a server (victim) is connected to several bots (attacker nodes) and legitimate clients. The attacker nodes will flood the server with malicious traffic, even though the legitimate clients will transmit normal requests.
Example NED File for a DDoS Attack Network:
network DDoSNetwork {
submodules:
server: StandardHost {
@display(“p=250,200”);
}
attacker[10]: StandardHost { // 10 attacker nodes
@display(“p=” + (100 + index * 30) + “,100”);
}
legitimateClient[3]: StandardHost { // 3 legitimate clients
@display(“p=” + (100 + index * 70) + “,300”);
}
connections allowunconnected:
for i=0..9 {
attacker[i].ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> server.ethg++;
}
for i=0..2 {
legitimateClient[i].ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> server.ethg++;
}
}
In this setup:
- Server: The target of the DDoS attack.
- Attacker Nodes: A group of 10 nodes are performing as bots that flood the server with traffic.
- Legitimate Clients: A few clients transmitting legitimate traffic to replicate normal network behaviour.
- Configure Attacker Nodes to Generate DDoS Traffic
Describe the type of attack traffic, which the attacker nodes will be made. The most general forms of DDoS attacks are:
- TCP SYN Flood: Transmitting a large number of TCP SYN packets to consume the server’s connection table.
- UDP Flood: Transmitting large numbers of UDP packets to overwhelm the server’s resources.
- HTTP Request Flood: Flooding the server with HTTP requests to exhaust server resources.
For this instance, let’s replicate a TCP SYN flood from the attacker nodes.
Example omnetpp.ini Configuration for TCP SYN Flood:
[General]
network = DDoSNetwork
sim-time-limit = 100s
# Server configuration (victim)
**.server.numApps = 1
**.server.app[0].typename = “TcpServerApp”
**.server.app[0].localPort = 80
# Attacker nodes configuration (TCP SYN Flood)
**.attacker[*].numApps = 1
**.attacker[*].app[0].typename = “TcpApp”
**.attacker[*].app[0].connectAddress = “server”
**.attacker[*].app[0].connectPort = 80
**.attacker[*].app[0].tOpen = uniform(0s, 1s) # Random start time for attackers
**.attacker[*].app[0].sendBytes = 0B # Send zero bytes to initiate SYN flood (no payload)
# Legitimate clients sending normal requests
**.legitimateClient[*].numApps = 1
**.legitimateClient[*].app[0].typename = “TcpApp”
**.legitimateClient[*].app[0].connectAddress = “server”
**.legitimateClient[*].app[0].connectPort = 80
**.legitimateClient[*].app[0].tOpen = uniform(2s, 5s) # Start legitimate traffic after attackers
**.legitimateClient[*].app[0].sendBytes = 1000B # Send 1KB of data
# TCP Settings for all nodes
*.tcp.msl = 1s # Maximum segment lifetime to simulate SYN flood impact
*.tcp.synRetries = 2 # Set the number of SYN retries for legitimate clients
Explanation:
- Server: Runs a simple TCP server listening on port 80.
- Attacker Nodes: Replicate a TCP SYN flood by opening connections without transmitting any payload (this generates many SYN packets).
- Legitimate Clients: Transfer typcial TCP traffic to mimic real network behaviour.
- Simulate Other Types of DDoS Attacks
For other kinds of DDoS attacks such as UDP flood or HTTP flood, we can change the configuration or make custom applications.
Example omnetpp.ini for UDP Flood:
# UDP flood configuration for attacker nodes
**.attacker[*].numApps = 1
**.attacker[*].app[0].typename = “UdpBasicApp”
**.attacker[*].app[0].destAddresses = “server”
**.attacker[*].app[0].messageLength = 512B
**.attacker[*].app[0].sendInterval = uniform(0.01s, 0.05s) # Rapid traffic generation
This configuration mimics a UDP flood, in which attacker nodes are continuously transmit UDP packets to the server with small intervals.
- Run the Simulation
- We can run the simulation in OMNeT++ and monitor the behaviour of the network as the attacker nodes are flood the server with traffic.
- Legitimate clients may experience high latency or packet loss because of the server being overwhelmed by the attack.
- Monitor and Analyze the Results
OMNeT++ permits to collect significant parameters and envision the influence of the DDoS attack on the network.
Key parameters to monitor contain:
- Packet Loss: Assess how many packets are dropped because of the server being overloaded.
- Response Time: Monitor how long it takes for the legitimate clients to receive a response from the server.
- Connection Success Rate: Observe how many legitimate connections are effectively compared to the failed ones.
- Server Resource Usage: Investigate the influence of the DDoS attack on the server’s ability to process incoming connections (e.g., TCP connection table exhaustion).
- Extend the Simulation
We can be expanded the DDoS simulation by inserting more aspects and complexity:
- Advanced Attack Detection: Execute algorithms in the server to identify and mitigate DDoS attacks (e.g., IP blacklisting, rate-limiting).
- Traffic Filtering: Replicate firewalls or Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), which try to block or rate-limit incoming attack traffic.
- Botnet Control: Make a botnet control node, which commands the attacker nodes to introduce the DDoS attack in a coordinated manner.
- Multi-Vector DDoS Attacks: Mimic a more complex DDoS attack by aggregating numerous types of flooding (e.g., TCP, UDP, HTTP) at the similar time.
Example of DDoS Mitigation:
We can be execute the DDoS protection mechanisms in the server to observe how successfully they act under attack. For instance, rate-limiting according to the connection frequency or blocking particular IPs after identifying suspicious traffic patterns.
# Example of a simple rate-limiting mechanism (custom logic in server)
**.server.tcp.maxConnectionsPerSecond = 50 # Limit the number of connections the server accepts
Example Projects for DDoS Attack Simulation:
- TCP SYN Flood Attack: Replicate a classic TCP SYN flood and examine its effect on server performance, connection establishment, and client-server communication.
- UDP Flood Attack: Make a network in which attacker nodes are endlessly transmit UDP packets to overwhelm the server’s resources.
- DDoS Mitigation: Execute and mimic DDoS mitigation methods such as rate-limiting, IP filtering, or CAPTCHAs.
- Botnet DDoS Attack: Replicate a large-scale DDoS attack controlled by a botnet and discover how the attack scales with the amount of bots.
- DDoS in IoT Networks: Mimic a DDoS attack on an IoT network in which many devices are aimed to monitor how resource-constrained devices are manage the attack.
In this complete method, we had acquired the simulation procedure regarding DDoS attack projects offered in it utilizing the simulation tool OMNeT++. We will offer more specifics about this projects through another manual for you.
phdprime.com development team has meticulously focused on various concepts associated with DDoS attacks utilizing the OMNeT++ simulation tool. We invite you to maintain communication with us for valuable insights and support on emerging topics. Please feel free to reach out via email for optimal simulation guidance. We are currently engaged in projects involving multiple attacker nodes (zombies/bots) that inundate a target node (victim) with excessive traffic, thereby overwhelming the target, along with other aspects pertinent to your project.
