METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR PROVIDING SECURITY THROUGH NETWORK ADDRESS TRANSLATIONS USING TUNNELING AND COMPENSATIONS

• US 20130347122A1
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SSH Communications Security Oyj
• Original Assignee: Tectia Oyj
• Inventors: Kivinen, Tero, YIonen, Tatu
• Granted Patent: US 8,973,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/663 Transport layer addresses, e.g. aspects of transmission control protocol [TCP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/026 Details of "hello" or keep-alive messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2553 Binding renewal aspects, e.g. using keep-alive messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/256 NAT traversal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2578 without involvement of the NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 : Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor

Abstract

This invention provides a method for providing network security services, such as those provided by the IPSEC protocol, through network address translation (NAT). The method is based on determining the transformations that occur on a packet and compensating for the transformations. Because only TCP and UDP protocols work through NATs, the IPSEC AH/ESP packets are encapsulated into UDP packets for transport. Special operations are performed to allow reliable communications in such environments.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer device, a packet comprising an encoding of an address from which the packet was sent in a payload of the packet; and

determining based on the encoding of the address in the payload of the packet and an address in the header of the packet that a network address translation occurred on the packet.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the encoding identifies the type of the address.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the address is one of an IPv4 address and IPv6 address.

27. An apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to

determine from a received packet comprising an encoding in a payload of the packet of an address from which the packet was sent whether the address in the encoding is different from an address in the header of the packet;

and

determine that a network address translation occurred on the packet in response to determination that the address in the encoding in the payload of the packet is different from the address in the header of the packet.

28. The apparatus according to in claim 27, wherein the encoding identifies the type of the address.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the address is one of an IPv4 address and IPv6 address.

30. A non-transitory computer readable media for revealing occurrence of network address translations, comprising program code for causing a processor to perform instructions for

receiving a packet comprising an encoding of an address from which the packet was sent in a payload of the packet;

and

determining based on the encoding of the address in the payload of the packet and an address in the header of the packet that a network address translation occurred on the packet.

31. The non-transitory computer readable media according to claim 30, wherein the encoding identifies the type of the address.

32. The non-transitory computer readable media according to claim 31, wherein the address is one of an IPv4 address and IPv6 address.