Netstaldi: A Modular Distributed Architecture for Incremental Network Discovery

Abstract

Maintaining a comprehensive understanding of a network’s connected devices is fundamental for robust security. This knowledge is crucial for tasks like vulnerability assessments, identifying potential attack surfaces, and network mapping. In this paper, we propose Netstaldi, a distributed architecture specifically designed for incremental and secure network discovery. Our architecture leverages non-intrusive network scanning techniques based on standard TCP/IP protocols, eliminating the need for monitoring agents on individual devices. This approach prioritizes scalability, modularity, and resilience, making it well-suited to handle large and dynamic network environments. We have implemented a prototype system based on this architecture, utilizing established open source tools. This system has been successfully tested on a large, real-world network. The results are promising: the tool efficiently scans the entire network within a few hours, and the intuitive GUI allows administrators to interactively explore the generated network map to identify and address potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.

Publication
ITASEC 2024 Italian Conference on Cyber Security 2024 Proceedings of the 8th Italian Conference on Cyber Security (ITASEC 2024)

Related