Title :
An assessment of VoIP covert channel threats
Author :
Takahashi, Takehiro ; Lee, Wenke
Author_Institution :
School of Computer Science, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, USA
Abstract :
A VoIP covert channel is a mechanism that utilizes an IP phone conversation to illicitly transfer information across a network. In this paper, we present a model of VoIP covert channels that explains their main components and functions. We provide a performance evaluation framework, and quantify the threat to users. Our results demonstrate that covert channels represent an immediate threat to VoIP users. We discuss possible course of actions to detect attacks and mitigate the risk of information leakage.
Keywords :
Bandwidth; Codecs; Communication channels; Communication system security; Computer science; Data security; Information security; Protocols; Steganography; Watermarking; VoIP covert channel; channel capacity; covert communication; security of data; voice over IP; watermarking;
Conference_Titel :
Security and Privacy in Communications Networks and the Workshops, 2007. SecureComm 2007. Third International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Nice, France
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-0974-7
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-0975-4
DOI :
10.1109/SECCOM.2007.4550357