Packet Flow Side Channel
First Claim
1. A method for embedding a covert side channel communication in an overt communication transmitted over a network using a packet stream comprising:
- a. encoding one or more bits of a side channel communication by;
i. selecting more than one group of related packets from the overt communication being transmitted on a network, each group of packets including a same number of packets, the related packets being consecutive as well as non-consecutive packets; and
ii. relating a packet of one group to a packet of another group to form a pair of packets; and
iii. delaying the timing of at least one packet from each pair of packets.b. decoding a bit from the side channel communication by;
i. determining inter-packet delays that are the difference in timing between two packets in the pair of packets from the overt communication;
ii. determining at least one inter-packet delay difference between two or more determined inter-packet delays; and
iii. converting the at least one interpacket delay difference into at least one bit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A packet flow side channel encoder and decoder embeds and extracts a side channel communication in an overt communication data stream transmitted over a network. The encoder selects more than one group of related packets being transmitted on the network, relates a packet of one group to a packet of another group to form a pair of packets; and delays the timing of at least one packet from each pair of packets The decoder determines inter-packet delays that are the difference in timing between two packets in a pair of packets; determines at least one inter-packet delay difference between two or more determined inter-packet delays; and extracts a bit using the at least one interpacket delay difference.
23 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for embedding a covert side channel communication in an overt communication transmitted over a network using a packet stream comprising:
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a. encoding one or more bits of a side channel communication by; i. selecting more than one group of related packets from the overt communication being transmitted on a network, each group of packets including a same number of packets, the related packets being consecutive as well as non-consecutive packets; and ii. relating a packet of one group to a packet of another group to form a pair of packets; and iii. delaying the timing of at least one packet from each pair of packets. b. decoding a bit from the side channel communication by; i. determining inter-packet delays that are the difference in timing between two packets in the pair of packets from the overt communication; ii. determining at least one inter-packet delay difference between two or more determined inter-packet delays; and iii. converting the at least one interpacket delay difference into at least one bit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for encoding one or more bits of a covert side channel communication transmitted over a network using a packet stream, comprising:
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a. a packet group selection module configured to select at least two groups of related packets from the overt communication being transmitted on a network, each group of packets including a same number of packets; ii. a packet relation module configured to relate a packet of one group to a packet of another group to form a pair of packets; and iii. a packet delay module configured to delay the timing of at least one packet from each pair of packets. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for decoding a bit from a covert side channel communication in an overt communication transmitted over a network using a packet stream, comprising:
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a. an inter-packet delay determination module configured to determine inter-packet delays that are the difference in timing between two packets in a pair of packets from the overt communication; b. a difference determination module configured to determine at least one inter-packet delay difference between two or more determined inter-packet delays; and c. a bit extraction module configured to convert the at least one interpacket delay difference into at least one bit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification