2nd International ICST Conference on Communications and Networking in China

Research Article

Safeguarding Against Sybil Attacks via Social Networks and Multipath Routing

  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.1109/CHINACOM.2007.4469394,
        author={Chittaranjan Hota and Srikanth M.S.V and Antti Yl\aa{}-J\aa{}\aa{}ski and Janne Lindqvist and Kristiina K.},
        title={Safeguarding Against Sybil Attacks via Social Networks and Multipath Routing},
        proceedings={2nd International ICST Conference on Communications and Networking in China},
        publisher={IEEE},
        proceedings_a={CHINACOM},
        year={2008},
        month={3},
        keywords={Peer-to-Peer; Multipath; Byzantine; Sybil; Trust},
        doi={10.1109/CHINACOM.2007.4469394}
    }
    
  • Chittaranjan Hota
    Srikanth M.S.V
    Antti Ylä-Jääski
    Janne Lindqvist
    Kristiina K.
    Year: 2008
    Safeguarding Against Sybil Attacks via Social Networks and Multipath Routing
    CHINACOM
    IEEE
    DOI: 10.1109/CHINACOM.2007.4469394
Chittaranjan Hota1,*, Srikanth M.S.V1,*, Antti Ylä-Jääski2,*, Janne Lindqvist2,*, Kristiina K.2,*
  • 1: Computer Science and Information Systems Group Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Rajasthan, 333031, INDIA
  • 2: Telecommunications Software & Multimedia Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology TKK, P.O. Box 5400, Helsinki, FINLAND
*Contact email: c_hota@bits-pilani.ac.in, f2002572@bits-pilani.ac.in, antti.yla-jaaski@hut.fi, janne.lindqvist@tml.hut.fi, kk@tml.hut.fi

Abstract

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) overlay networks are currently being used to build large scale distributed systems running various decentralized applications like distributed storage, content distribution, collaborative scheduling, and leader election. Although we have protocols like Byzantine agreement, voting schemes etc. for building resilient distributed applications; we have very few solutions available for safeguarding these distributed protocols from Sybil attacks. In a Sybil attack, an adversary could forge multiple identities and create multiple, distinct nodes in the system hence overthrowing any upper bound on number of malicious nodes in these protocols. In this paper, we present a multipath routing protocol using graph theoretic approach to group the Sybil nodes first and then to poll them using Host Identity Protocol (HIP) to decide upon whether they really belong to a Sybil group. HIP clearly separates participating users from overlay nodes. It overcomes P2P network challenges like stability over time and identity differentiation. We also use a social network where the attack edges are minimum. An attack edge between a malicious user and an honest user indicates that the malicious user is able to establish a trust relationship with the honest user by some means. We perform simulations to show the feasibility of our distributed protocol.