Towards a Security Reference Architecture for NFV
Network function virtualization (NFV) is an emerging technology that is becoming increasingly important due to its many advantages. NFV transforms legacy hardware-based network infrastructure into software-based virtualized networks. This transformation increases the flexibility and scalability of n...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/10/3750 |
| _version_ | 1827666593021165568 |
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| author | Abdulrahman Khalid Alnaim Ahmed Mahmoud Alwakeel Eduardo B. Fernandez |
| author_facet | Abdulrahman Khalid Alnaim Ahmed Mahmoud Alwakeel Eduardo B. Fernandez |
| author_sort | Abdulrahman Khalid Alnaim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Network function virtualization (NFV) is an emerging technology that is becoming increasingly important due to its many advantages. NFV transforms legacy hardware-based network infrastructure into software-based virtualized networks. This transformation increases the flexibility and scalability of networks, at the same time reducing the time for the creation of new networks. However, the attack surface of the network increases, which requires the definition of a clear map of where attacks may happen. ETSI standards precisely define many security aspects of this architecture, but these publications are very long and provide many details which are not of interest to software architects. We start by conducting threat analysis of some of the NFV use cases. The use cases serve as scenarios where the threats to the architecture can be enumerated. Representing threats as misuse cases that describe the modus operandi of attackers, we can find countermeasures to them in the form of security patterns, and we can build a security reference architecture (SRA). Until now, only imprecise models of NFV architectures existed; by making them more detailed and precise it is possible to handle not only security but also safety and reliability, although we do not explore those aspects. Because security is a global property that requires a holistic approach, we strongly believe that architectural models are fundamental to produce secure networks and allow us to build networks which are secure by design. The resulting SRA defines a roadmap to implement secure concrete architectures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:53:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4d6d3e11aa824397b28613910e9a125f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:53:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-4d6d3e11aa824397b28613910e9a125f2023-11-23T13:00:34ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202022-05-012210375010.3390/s22103750Towards a Security Reference Architecture for NFVAbdulrahman Khalid Alnaim0Ahmed Mahmoud Alwakeel1Eduardo B. Fernandez2Department of Management Information Systems, King Faisal University, Hofuf 31982, Saudi ArabiaSensor Network and Cellular Systems Research Center, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USANetwork function virtualization (NFV) is an emerging technology that is becoming increasingly important due to its many advantages. NFV transforms legacy hardware-based network infrastructure into software-based virtualized networks. This transformation increases the flexibility and scalability of networks, at the same time reducing the time for the creation of new networks. However, the attack surface of the network increases, which requires the definition of a clear map of where attacks may happen. ETSI standards precisely define many security aspects of this architecture, but these publications are very long and provide many details which are not of interest to software architects. We start by conducting threat analysis of some of the NFV use cases. The use cases serve as scenarios where the threats to the architecture can be enumerated. Representing threats as misuse cases that describe the modus operandi of attackers, we can find countermeasures to them in the form of security patterns, and we can build a security reference architecture (SRA). Until now, only imprecise models of NFV architectures existed; by making them more detailed and precise it is possible to handle not only security but also safety and reliability, although we do not explore those aspects. Because security is a global property that requires a holistic approach, we strongly believe that architectural models are fundamental to produce secure networks and allow us to build networks which are secure by design. The resulting SRA defines a roadmap to implement secure concrete architectures.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/10/3750network function virtualizationvirtual network functioncloud computingreference architecturesecurity reference architecturepatterns |
| spellingShingle | Abdulrahman Khalid Alnaim Ahmed Mahmoud Alwakeel Eduardo B. Fernandez Towards a Security Reference Architecture for NFV Sensors network function virtualization virtual network function cloud computing reference architecture security reference architecture patterns |
| title | Towards a Security Reference Architecture for NFV |
| title_full | Towards a Security Reference Architecture for NFV |
| title_fullStr | Towards a Security Reference Architecture for NFV |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards a Security Reference Architecture for NFV |
| title_short | Towards a Security Reference Architecture for NFV |
| title_sort | towards a security reference architecture for nfv |
| topic | network function virtualization virtual network function cloud computing reference architecture security reference architecture patterns |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/10/3750 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abdulrahmankhalidalnaim towardsasecurityreferencearchitecturefornfv AT ahmedmahmoudalwakeel towardsasecurityreferencearchitecturefornfv AT eduardobfernandez towardsasecurityreferencearchitecturefornfv |