Improving VPN performance: Security analysis, CORBA-based mechanisms, and application to a medical research instrument

Author

Amit Raikar

Abstract

“Improving Virtual Private Network (VPN) security strength would promote wider application of VPN technology. A comprehensive security and vulnerability analysis of VPN protocols is given. Several new vulnerabilities are found in the IPSec protocol, and solutions are offered to handle them. These solutions still require testing. Among solutions provided to handle IPSec vulnerabilities, the most notable contribution is a solution that handles the need for an authentication and non-repudiation mechanism at the host level. Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) was justified as an excellent platform for implementing application-level VPN infrastructure, needed to improve a VPN’s applicability performance. CORBA-based high- performance and fault-tolerant implementation architectures, using algorithms from other network security fields, are provided to implement several novel application-level, self-managing VPN mechanisms. A novel scheme based on Message Authentication Code key sets and Complementary Keys is also proposed to provide a dynamic, integrated source-authentication and user-revocation mechanism. The scheme requires testing to prove its efficacy.

The proposed VPN mechanisms are used to design an implementation architecture for a client-server based VPN for a Computerized Electrode Array (CEA), a low-cost high- performance instrument used in electrocardiology research. The architecture may also be used for other biomedical systems. A complete implementation design with full justification is provided for each client CEA system, along with implementation code. ARCNET protocol was used in the client CEA system’s serial bus implementation, as it was found to satisfy system requirements better than the Ethernet, CAN, USB, and Firewire protocols. The client CEA system supports realtime acquisition of data from 208 electrodes, at 16-bit resolution and 1000 samples/sec. The implementation code was tested with white box testing techniques, via automatic and manual simulation of interrupts and memory content changes”--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Beetner, Daryl G.

Committee Member(s)

Stigall, Paul D.
McMillin, Bruce M.

Department(s)

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Computer Engineering

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

Fall 2000

Pagination

xi, 171 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 165-170).

Rights

© 2000 Amit Raikar, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 7809

Print OCLC #

45687473

Recommended Citation

Raikar, Amit, "Improving VPN performance: Security analysis, CORBA-based mechanisms, and application to a medical research instrument" (2000). Masters Theses. 1958.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/masters_theses/1958