NDN Security: Cryptographic Approaches for Safeguarding Content-Centric Networking against Threats

Abstract

The future of the internet demands innovative approaches to communication paradigms and security mechanisms. Named Data Networking (NDN) introduces a ground breaking data-centric communication paradigm, shifting the focus from host-centric networking to efficient content retrieval. This novel framework relies on the dynamic interplay of Interest and Data packets to enable seamless content dissemination and caching. NDN's security framework, built upon digital keys, certificates, and trust policies, ensures the integrity and confidentiality of data transactions within its ecosystem. Cryptographic keys exchanged in real-time through Interest and Data packets, forming the bedrock of secure interactions within NDN. This dynamic key exchange mechanism bolsters security and facilitates controlled data generation. Certificates play a pivotal role in establishing trust, solidifying the connection between names and public keys, while trust policies align with application-defined guidelines to govern key-data entity associations. This paper delves into the security challenges that NDN effectively addresses. By investigating vulnerabilities and assessing the susceptibility of common attacks, it underscores the resolute defense mechanisms inherent in the NDN framework. The inherently anonymous and non-identifying nature of NDN renders eavesdropping and traffic analysis infeasible, bolstering confidentiality. Digital signatures provide robust data integrity, thwarting any attempts at unauthorized modification. The comprehensive data signing mechanism effectively prevents masquerade attacks, and the integration of unique naming and nonce in Interest packets averts replay attacks. In essence, this research not only sheds light on the essential security components of NDN but also illuminates how this paradigm addresses a multitude of security challenges. NDN's forward-thinking content-centric approach and its robust security mechanisms hold the potential to reshape networking paradigms. As we look to the future of the internet, NDN stands as a promising contender for advancing secure, efficient, and transformative networking models.