Network Security Project 1

Introduction to network traffic sniffing

a) Learning Objectives:

The student will use Free or Open-source utilities to analyze network traffic coming in and out of a computer network interface (either Ethernet or wireless interface). By examining the protocol traffic, student can obtain the private information in transmission like account/password.

b) Tools utilized:

A WEB/FTP/TELNET server is setup for students to test connection. The testing account will also provided.

- The server IP address: 192.168.11.50

- Testing account for Web server: username: test /password: test

- Testing account for Ftp server: username: test /password: test

- Testing account for Telnet server: username: test /password: test

The student will use free tool Ethereal for Windows to sniff network traffic.

Ethereal can be downloaded here

http://www.openxtra.co.uk/downloads/ethereal-download.php

Or local copy http://www.dcsl-uhcl.net/public/download.html

The installation process is quite straight forward. It is a click and run procedure.

c) Requirements:

- This is an independent project. Student is required to work on his/her own.

- The student is required to run the Ethereal and capture at least three types of network traffic and analyze these traffic:

1. HTTP traffic:

· The student will run the Ethereal against one of network interface cards.

· The student will use a web browser to connect to the web server and submit the authentication information to the web server.

· The student is required to capture Http traffic and look for the user name and password he/she just submitted to the web server.

· The student will submit screen shots of the Ethereal that show the username and password.

2. Telnet traffic:

· The student will run the Ethereal against one of the network interface cards.

· The student will connect to the Telnet server and submit the authentication information to the web server.

· The student is required to capture Telnet traffic and look for the user name and password he/she just submitted to the Telnet server.

· The student will submit screen shots of the Ethereal that show the username and password.

Note: A telnet client sends user name and password string character by character.

3. FTP traffic:

· The student will run the Ethereal against one of the network interface cards.

· The student will connect to the Ftp server and submit the authentication information to the server.

· The student is required to capture Ftp traffic and look for the user name and password he/she just submitted to the server.

· The student will submit screen shots of the Ethereal that show the username and password.

d) Problem classification:

This experiment can be classified as a network assignment and also as a study experiment.

e) How it may be implemented in the security lab:

This project requires a LAN environment and a network server to provide WEB, TELNET and FTP services. The project will be implemented in the D157 network. Each student will be given external hard disk in order to install OS and utilities.

f) Level of difficulty:

Based on the level of difficulty, this experiment can be classified as an experiment for beginners.

g) Grading criteria and methods:

The grader checks the screen shots and the file of captured network traffic to see if the student really gets the password out of the network traffic.