Date of Award

Spring 3-1-2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Science in Cyber Security

Department

Computer Science

First Advisor

Wayne Pauli

Second Advisor

Kyle Cronin

Third Advisor

Mark Hawkes

Abstract

This quasi-experimental before-and-after study examined the impacts of using IPv6 extension headers to carry cryptographic Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) route attestation information. Literature was assessed surrounding: the design of BGP, vulnerabilities in BGP, a survey of proposed route attestation solutions, IPv6 extension header design, overhead in cryptography, and factors influencing the adoption of proposed solutions. The literature surveyed showed a need to evaluate IPv6 and its role in helping secure the Internet’s routing protocol, BGP. The study resulted in statically significant figures representing the cost associated in an instantiation of using IPv6 extension headers to carry BGP route attestation information. Furthermore, future opportunities for research to improve upon overall BGP security and the inclusion of IPv6 in such models were discussed. The research performed revealed potential pathways for enhancing Internet routing as a whole.

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