Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection

Live and retrospective analysis of network traffic is a challenging task in any busy IT Department or Network Operating Centre. Examining graphs and log files is time-consuming, and alerts can be missed. As an alternative to visual representations this research investigates sonification, turning net...

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Main Author: Skarth-Hayley, Luke
Format: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Language:English
Published: 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48565/
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author Skarth-Hayley, Luke
author_facet Skarth-Hayley, Luke
author_sort Skarth-Hayley, Luke
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Live and retrospective analysis of network traffic is a challenging task in any busy IT Department or Network Operating Centre. Examining graphs and log files is time-consuming, and alerts can be missed. As an alternative to visual representations this research investigates sonification, turning network data and attack signatures into audio, specifically music, that provides an ‘at-a-listen’ state of the network that during normal operation is easy to ignore and non-fatiguing for listeners, and during attacks clearly surfaces the type of attack with a unique combination of musical instrument and phrase. Prior research has been carried out into network sonification, but reviews of the field reveal a lack of musicality and formal grammar in these sonifications, something this project seeks to redress. A series of prototypes are presented, leading to a flexible system where users can define their own musical phrases to represent network conditions and potential intrusions, from which future research could be made, examining the efficacy of various forms of musical sonification.
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format Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
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language English
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spelling nottingham-485652018-01-09T14:16:14Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48565/ Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection Skarth-Hayley, Luke Live and retrospective analysis of network traffic is a challenging task in any busy IT Department or Network Operating Centre. Examining graphs and log files is time-consuming, and alerts can be missed. As an alternative to visual representations this research investigates sonification, turning network data and attack signatures into audio, specifically music, that provides an ‘at-a-listen’ state of the network that during normal operation is easy to ignore and non-fatiguing for listeners, and during attacks clearly surfaces the type of attack with a unique combination of musical instrument and phrase. Prior research has been carried out into network sonification, but reviews of the field reveal a lack of musicality and formal grammar in these sonifications, something this project seeks to redress. A series of prototypes are presented, leading to a flexible system where users can define their own musical phrases to represent network conditions and potential intrusions, from which future research could be made, examining the efficacy of various forms of musical sonification. 2017-12-14 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48565/1/LukeSkarthHayley_MScDissertation.pdf Skarth-Hayley, Luke (2017) Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] Network Sonification Network Security Intrusion Detection Sys¬tem IDS NIDS HIDS Sonification Audialisation MIDI Generative Music Data to Audio Data to Music
spellingShingle Network Sonification
Network Security
Intrusion Detection Sys¬tem
IDS
NIDS
HIDS
Sonification
Audialisation
MIDI
Generative Music
Data to Audio
Data to Music
Skarth-Hayley, Luke
Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection
title Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection
title_full Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection
title_fullStr Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection
title_full_unstemmed Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection
title_short Siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection
title_sort siren songs: a novel sonification method for network traffic and intrusion detection
topic Network Sonification
Network Security
Intrusion Detection Sys¬tem
IDS
NIDS
HIDS
Sonification
Audialisation
MIDI
Generative Music
Data to Audio
Data to Music
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/48565/