Defeating Adversary Network Intelligence Efforts with Active Cyber Defense Techniques

The purpose of this research was to assess the potential of dynamic network reconfiguration and decoys to defeat adversary network reconnaissance efforts, thereby improving network defense. Specifically, this study sought to determine if the strategy has merit, thus warranting more resource intensive research and engineering studies. The research objective was achieved through a comprehensive literature review and limited technology survey. The key topics examined in the literature review include the network attack process, network defense strategies, deception and continuous unpredictable change. Many candidate technologies were surveyed, but only three identified as high potential were examined in detail: address hopping, honeypots and network telescopes.