ATTRM6: A Distributed IPv6 Address Traceback and Threatener Restriction Mechanism Based on Smart Contract

Abstract

To address the problems that current studies for enhancing network accountability based on IPv6 addresses do not support cross-Autonomous Systems (AS) or restrict threatener behaviors, a distributed IPv6 Address Traceback and Threatener Restriction Mechanism (ATTRM6) based on smart contract is proposed. Tracing servers of each AS form a blockchain and invoke smart contract functions to store address information of different ASes on the blockchain. When IPv6 address traceback is needed across ASes, the traceback server of a specific AS reads addresses information stored on the blockchain to identify the threatener. Considering the restriction scheme for threatener associated with IPv6 addresses, and proposing a Punishment-Forgiveness Policy (PFP) to dynamically adjust the reputation of threatener, and store restricted threatener and their reputation on the blockchain, thus providing data support to each AS to take restriction measures. Compared with information sharing based on a centralized database, the ATTRM6 mechanism can accomplish more reliable sharing. Experimental results show that the ATTRM6 mechanism has low overhead and can effectively perform IPv6 address traceback and threatener restriction.