Secure Network Management within an Open-source Mobile Agent Framework [Vol. 12, No. 1, 2004]

Secure Network Management within an Open-source Mobile Agent Framework

A. Pashalidis
Information Security Group
Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, United Kingdom
Email: A.Pashalidis_AT_rhul.ac.uk

M. Fleury
Electronic Systems Engineering Department
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
Email: fleum_AT_essex.ac.uk

Abstract
Mobile agents (MAs) have been proposed for decentralized network management. This paper explains how Aglets, a Java open-source MA framework, not a proprietary system, can be used for security-enhanced network management, complementing the security of the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) version 3. The solution prototyped is a hybrid environment where network management applications use MAs that interact locally with SNMP agents via the SNMP protocol. The implemented class libraries extend the security infrastructure of Aglets, by incorporating cryptographic functions through the Java Cryptography Extension. The extension enables data fields to be encrypted, while code is to be digitally signed. Legacy SNMPv1 and v2 enabled devices, with elementary security, can also be upgraded through this approach, which can effectively avoid a range of attacks. Consideration has been given to auxiliary functionality such as responding to SNMP traps, key distribution, logging, and secure clock synchronization.

Keywords: Aglets, SNMP, cryptography, secure clock

JNSM: Vol. 12, No. 1, 2004 Secure Network Management within an Open-source Mobile Agent Framework [Vol. 12, No. 1, 2004]

NOTE: only abstract of paper available on-line; please contact your library or the authors for the full paper

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