CloudNet: Building a Data-Plane for Anonymous Communication Network Based on Cloud Service
Xiaowei Song, Mingqian Yang, Wei Peng, Mengen Liang, Ling Liu, Ning Hu · 2024
In the rapidly evolving era of information technology, the security and privacy of network communications have become increasingly critical. This paper introduces CloudNet, a cloud-based covert communication system leveraging Software-Defined Networking (SDN), designed to enhance the security and concealment of communications. By utilizing the separation of the control plane and the data-plane inherent in SDN, along with the highly customizable programming capabilities of cloud infrastructure, our system effectively enhances defenses against adversaries, making tracking and analysis challenging. CloudNet employs a diverse array of traffic obfuscation strategies, including support for multiple protocols, dynamic routing, and traffic mixing, significantly improving the system’s concealment effects. Additionally, the system demonstrates superior communication efficiency and lower overhead compared to traditional anonymous communication systems, thereby enhancing the security and anonymity of the entire communication chain. This research not only offers a new solution for covert communications in cloud environments but also provides theoretical and practical references for future security and privacy protections in communication networks.