ChainChannels: Private Botnet Communication Over Public Blockchains

Frkat, Davor; Annessi, Robert; Zseby, Tanja

doi:10.1109/cybermatics_2018.2018.00219

Cited by 32 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Besides the researches on the model of blockchain-based covert channel, there are three systems that have been actually deployed: Zombiecoin [86], Botchain [29], and Chaninchannels [30]. e designs of these three systems are very similar.…”

Section: Building Covert Channels Using Blockchain Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chainchannels [30] realized a new way of embedding covert messages in blockchain with key leakage and did some cryptographic proofs. It uses a subliminal channel in digital signatures to insert secret messages totally.…”

Section: Building Covert Channels Using Blockchain Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…e tampering resistance can also be used to guarantee the robustness of covert channel. In this context, the models of covert channels based on blockchain network are proposed [10,28] and three covert channels (Zombiecoin [10], Botchain [29], and Chainchannels [30]) have been actually deployed in blockchain network. e IPv6 network is also a compelling platform for constructing covert channels.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Survey of Key Technologies for Constructing Network Covert Channel

Tian

Xiong

et al. 2020

Security and Communication Networks

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In order to protect user privacy or guarantee free access to the Internet, the network covert channel has become a hot research topic. It refers to an information channel in which the messages are covertly transmitted under the network environment. In recent years, many new construction schemes of network covert channels are proposed. But at the same time, network covert channel has also received the attention of censors, leading to many attacks. The network covert channel refers to an information channel in which the messages are covertly transmitted under the network environment. Many users exploit the network covert channel to protect privacy or guarantee free access to the Internet. Previous construction schemes of the network covert channel are based on information steganography, which can be divided into CTCs and CSCs. In recent years, there are some covert channels constructed by changing the transmission network architecture. On the other side, some research work promises that the characteristics of emerging network may better fit the construction of the network covert channel. In addition, the covert channel can also be constructed by changing the transmission network architecture. The proxy and anonymity communication technology implement this construction scheme. In this paper, we divide the key technologies for constructing network covert channels into two aspects: communication content level (based on information steganography) and transmission network level (based on proxy and anonymity communication technology). We give an comprehensively summary about covert channels at each level. We also introduce work for the three new types of network covert channels (covert channels based on streaming media, covert channels based on blockchain, and covert channels based on IPv6). In addition, we present the attacks against the network covert channel, including elimination, limitation, and detection. Finally, the challenge and future research trend in this field are discussed.

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Section: Building Covert Channels Using Blockchain Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Building Covert Channels Using Blockchain Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Survey of Key Technologies for Constructing Network Covert Channel

Tian

Xiong

et al. 2020

Security and Communication Networks

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“…ChainChannels [13] proposes a more generic approach, which can be used on different blockchains as it does not leverage Bitcoin-specific features. The authors describe a method to insert hidden data into transaction signature, which can be later decoded with the private key used for the signature.…”

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Meanwhile, blockchain is also becoming increasingly adopted as a tool for building distributed systems where different parties are able to exchange assets and data in a trustworthy manner [25]. Recent research showed how blockchains can be leveraged to implement the command and control (C&C) system of a botnet [2] [13]. In fact, using public blockchains, like Bitcoin, as the communication channel has several advantages for a botnet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging Bitcoin Testnet for Bidirectional Botnet Command and Control Systems

Franzoni

Abellan

Daza

2020

Financial Cryptography and Data Security

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Over the past twenty years, the number of devices connected to the Internet grew exponentially. Botnets benefited from this rise to increase their size and the magnitude of their attacks. However, they still have a weak point in their Command & Control (C&C) system, which is often based on centralized services or require a complex infrastructure to keep operating without being taken down by authorities. The recent spread of blockchain technologies may give botnets a powerful tool to make them very hard to disrupt. Recent research showed how it is possible to embed C&C messages in Bitcoin transactions, making them nearly impossible to block. Nevertheless, transactions have a cost and allow very limited amounts of data to be transmitted. Because of that, only messages from the botmaster to the bots are sent via Bitcoin, while bots are assumed to communicate through external channels. Furthermore, for the same reason, Bitcoin-based messages are sent in clear. In this paper we show how, using Bitcoin Testnet, it is possible to overcome these limitations and implement a cost-free, bidirectional, and encrypted C&C channel between the botmaster and the bots. We propose a communication protocol and analyze its viability in real life. Our results show that this approach would enable a botmaster to build a robust and hard-todisrupt C&C system at virtually no cost, thus representing a realistic threat for which countermeasures should be devised.

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