Packet fragmentation as data protection method in automated systems

Abstract

The paper gives a detailed description of the information transfer covert channels and their main types. One of the most popular protection methods, the one with the software and the hardware applied to traffic encryption, against the information disclosure threat is considered. Experimental data obtained from the statistical analysis of the encrypted traffic and contributing into the identification of different modern info-communication services by the IP-package distribution and the time intervals between their arrival are collected and provided. A detailed classification of the information transfer covert channels is looked upon under the regulating documents in the in-formation protection sphere. An overall mechanism of a convert channel functioning in the automated systems is described. The areas to counteract the convert channels as an information disclosure threat are specified. The authors put forward a protection method employing IP fragmentation. A diagram of a pilot stand for the videoconference systems which was tested during the experiment is presented. The parameters and the characteristics of the obtained results are described. The results are analysed, and the possible applications of IP fragmentation as a method to counteract the information transfer convert channels in the videoconference systems are offered.