research-article

Private communication detection: a stochastic approach

Authors:

Chang-Han Jong,

Virgil D. GligorAuthors Info & Claims

WISEC '12: Proceedings of the fifth ACM conference on Security and Privacy in Wireless and Mobile Networks

Pages 75 - 86

https://doi.org/10.1145/2185448.2185459

Published: 16 April 2012 Publication History

Abstract

Private communication detection (PCD) enables an ordinary network user to discover communication patterns (e.g., call time, length, frequency, and initiator) between two or more private parties. Ordinary users have neither eavesdropping capabilities (e.g., the network may employ strong anonymity measures) nor legal authority (e.g., collection of call records---without any voice/data content---requires "national security letters") to collect private-communication records. Analysis of communication patterns between private parties has historically been a powerful tool used by intelligence, military, law-enforcement and business organizations as it can reveal the strength of tie between these parties. In this paper, we show that PCD is possible by ordinary users merely by sending packets to various network end-nodes (e.g., WiFi nodes) and analyzing the timing of their responses. We show that timing side channels, which are caused by distinct resource-contention responses when different applications run in end nodes, enable effective PCD despite network and proxy-generated noise (e.g., jitter, delays). We use a stochastic analysis to demonstrate how PCD exploits indirectly accessible, remote end-node resources, such as WiFi radio channels and computer keyboards in Instant Messaging. Similar analysis enables practical Sybil node detection.

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Cited By

Cyberey MHinton SMoore CWeikle RLichtenberger A(2024)SuperGaN: Synthesis of NbTiN/GaN/NbTiN Tunnel JunctionsIEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity10.1109/TASC.2023.333776434:3(1-4)Online publication date: May-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2023.3337764
Shintre SGligor VBarros J(2018)Anonymity Leakage in Private VoIP NetworksIEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing10.1109/TDSC.2015.251376115:1(14-26)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2018
https://doi.org/10.1109/TDSC.2015.2513761
Tainter CSkinner J(2012)The water hexamer: Three-body interactions, structures, energetics, and OH-stretch spectroscopy at finite temperatureThe Journal of Chemical Physics10.1063/1.4746157137:10(104304)Online publication date: 10-Sep-2012
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4746157

Index Terms

Private communication detection: a stochastic approach
1. Security and privacy
  1. Network security

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cover image ACM Conferences

WISEC '12: Proceedings of the fifth ACM conference on Security and Privacy in Wireless and Mobile Networks

April 2012

216 pages

ISBN:9781450312653

DOI:10.1145/2185448

General Chairs:
Marwan Krunz
University of Arizona, USA
,
Loukas Lazos
University of Arizona, USA
,
Program Chairs:
Roberto Di Pietro
Università di Roma Tre, Italy
,
Wade Trappe
Rutgers University, USA

Copyright © 2012 ACM.

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New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 16 April 2012

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WISEC'12

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WISEC'12: Fifth ACM Conference on Security and Privacy in Wireless and Mobile Networks

April 16 - 18, 2012

Arizona, Tucson, USA

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Cited By

Cyberey MHinton SMoore CWeikle RLichtenberger A(2024)SuperGaN: Synthesis of NbTiN/GaN/NbTiN Tunnel JunctionsIEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity10.1109/TASC.2023.333776434:3(1-4)Online publication date: May-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2023.3337764
Shintre SGligor VBarros J(2018)Anonymity Leakage in Private VoIP NetworksIEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing10.1109/TDSC.2015.251376115:1(14-26)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2018
https://doi.org/10.1109/TDSC.2015.2513761
Tainter CSkinner J(2012)The water hexamer: Three-body interactions, structures, energetics, and OH-stretch spectroscopy at finite temperatureThe Journal of Chemical Physics10.1063/1.4746157137:10(104304)Online publication date: 10-Sep-2012
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4746157

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