The Internet represents essential communication infrastructure that needs to be protected from malicious attacks. Many existing attacks and corresponding defense mechanisms have focused on the computers connected to the Internet rather than the network infrastructure itself. However, the network can also be attacked since modern network components use software and hardware components that can exhibit vulnerabilities that have not been previously studied. This project explores this new type of in-network attacks and develops a novel approach to providing fundamental security capabilities in networking hardware based on hardware monitoring techniques.
The goals of this research are to significantly improve the understanding of emerging vulnerabilities in the Internet infrastructure and to develop a hardware monitoring system that can detect and stop an entire class of new attacks in order to maintain an operational Internet. This research on the design, implementation, and operation of protected router platforms is essential for the continued success of the Internet. In addition, this project integrates underrepresented minority and undergraduate students into research, develops instructional components, and contributes to workforce development through graduate student training.
