The effect of Encryption algorithms Delay on TCP Traffic over data networks

IOSR Journal of Computer Engineering (IOSR-JCE)
e-ISSN: 2278-0661,p-ISSN: 2278-8727, Volume 17, Issue 1, Ver. II (Jan – Feb. 2015), PP 85-91
www.iosrjournals.org
DOI: 10.9790/0661-17128591 www.iosrjournals.org 85 | Page
The effect of Encryption algorithms Delay on TCP Traffic over
data networks
Esam Suliman Mustafa Ahmed1
, Dr.Amin Babiker A/Nabi Mustafa2
1, 2
(Faculty of Engineering / AL-Neelain University, Sudan)
Abstract: Security is a big concern for data networks users. Data encryption considered to be one of the best
solutions for security issues. There are some standard encryption algorithms that used to encrypt transferred data
using encryption keys. DES, 3DES, and AES are common encryption algorithms used in TCP/IP networks.
Virtual Private Networking (VPN) is the one of the best security mechanisms that used encrypted virtual tunnels
.In this paper the effect of encryption delay on TCP based applications is discussed. Simulation is a major part
of this Paper. Increasing the encryption delay and then comparing the effect of that delay on TCP protocol
through different scenarios is the methodology of the study, using OPNET. One server supporting HTTP and
DB services is used. Four scenarios have been simulated. Results were compared by measuring the effect of
applying different encryption delay values to the same network.
Keywords: VPN, DES,3DES, AES,OPNET, IRC, BLOWFISH
I. Introduction
There are two types of encryption methodologies
1.1 Symmetric encryption
Symmetric encryption also referred to as conventional encryption or single-key encryption was the only type of
encryption in use prior to the development of public key encryption in the 1970s.it is a form of cryptosystem in
which encryption and decryption are performed using the same key. It is also known as conventional encryption.
Symmetric encryption transforms plaintext into cipher text using a secret key and an encryption algorithm.
Using the same key and a decryption algorithm, the plaintext is recovered from the cipher text .Traditional
symmetric ciphers use substitution and/or transposition techniques. Substitution techniques map plaintext
elements (characters, bits) into cipher text elements. Transposition techniques systematically transpose the
positions of plaintext elements.
Symmetric encryption scheme has five ingredients (Figure 1):
• Plaintext: This is the original intelligible message or data that is fed into the Algorithm as input.
• Encryption algorithm: The encryption algorithm performs various substitutions and transformations on the
plaintext.
• Secret key: The secret key is also input to the encryption algorithm. The key is a value independent of the
plaintext and of the algorithm. The algorithm will produce a different output depending on the specific key
being used at the time. The exact substitutions and transformations performed by the algorithm depend on the
key.
• Cipher text: This is the scrambled message produced as output. It depends on the plaintext and the secret key.
For a given message, two different keys will produce two different cipher texts. The cipher text is an apparently
random stream of data and, as it stands, is unintelligible.
• Decryption algorithm: This is essentially the encryption algorithm run in reverse. It takes the cipher text
and the secret key and produces the original plaintext.

The effect of Encryption algorithms Delay on TCP Traffic over data networks
Figure 1. Simplified Model of Symmetric Encryption
Cryptography
Cryptographic systems are characterized along three independent dimensions:
 The type of operations used for transforming plaintext to cipher text. All encryption algorithms are
based on two general principles: substitution, in which each element in the plaintext (bit, letter, group of bits or
letters) is mapped into another element, and transposition, in which elements in the plaintext are rearranged. The
fundamental requirement is that no information be lost (that is, that all operations are reversible). Most systems,
referred to as product systems, involve multiple stages of substitutions and transpositions.
 The number of keys used. If both sender and receiver use the same key, the system is referred to as
symmetric, single-key, secret-key, or conventional encryption. If the sender and receiver use different keys, the
system is referred to as asymmetric, two-key, or public-key encryption.
 The way in which the plaintext is processed. A block cipher processes the input one block of elements
at a time, producing an output block for each input block. A stream cipher processes the input elements
continuously, producing output one element at a time, as it goes along.
1.2 Asymmetric encryption
Is a form of cryptosystem in which encryption and decryption are performed using the different keys—
one a public key and one a private key. It is also known as public-key encryption. Asymmetric encryption
transforms plaintext into cipher text using a one of two keys and an encryption algorithm. Using the paired key
and a decryption algorithm, the plaintext is recovered from the cipher text. The most widely used public-key
cryptosystem is RSA. The difficulty of attacking RSA is based on the difficulty of finding the prime factors of a
composite number
Public-key cryptography provides a radical departure from all that has gone before. For one thing,
public-key algorithms are based on mathematical functions rather than on substitution and permutation. More
important, public-key cryptography is asymmetric, involving the use of two separate keys, in contrast to
symmetric encryption, which uses only one key. The use of two keys has profound consequences in the areas of
confidentiality, key distribution, and authentication.
Terminology Related to Asymmetric Encryption
Asymmetric Keys: Two related keys, a public key and a private key, that are used to perform
complementary operations, such as encryption and decryption or signature generation and signature verification.
Public Key Certificate: A digital document issued and digitally signed by the private key of a
Certification Authority that binds the name of a subscriber to a public key. The certificate indicates that the
subscriber identified in the certificate has sole control and access to the corresponding private key.
Public Key (Asymmetric) Cryptographic Algorithm: A cryptographic algorithm that uses two related
keys, a public key and a private key. The two keys have the property that deriving the private key from the
public key is computationally infeasible.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI): A set of policies, processes, server platforms, software and
workstations used for the purpose of administering certificates and public-private key pair including the ability
to issue ,maintain, and revoke public key certificates.

Figure 2. Encryption with public key
• Plaintext: This is the readable message or data that is fed into the algorithm as input.
• Encryption algorithm: The encryption algorithm performs various transformations on the plaintext.
• Public and private keys: This is a pair of keys that have been selected so that if one is used for encryption, the
other is used for decryption. The exact transformations performed by the algorithm depend on the public or
private key that is provided as input.
• Cipher text: This is the scrambled message produced as output. It depends on the plaintext and the key. For a
given message, two different keys will produce two different cipher texts.
• Decryption algorithm: This algorithm accepts the cipher text and the matching key and produces the original
plaintext.
II. The Design
Four scenarios are used to measure the effect of encryption delay on the network.
In the first scenario the server is accessed by Clients from different three remote LANs connected
through IP cloud to the Core router without applying any Encryption (no VPN) as it shown in fig (3). The server
supported tow services, DB and HTTP.
Figure 3.TCP/IP Traffic without Data encryption (No-Encryption Scenario)
In the other three scenarios, encrypted VPN tunneling applied between the three LANs and The Core Router as
it shown in figure 4

Figure 4. Encrypted VPN Tunnel applied
Encryption/Decryption delay values increased in (Encryption Delay 1, 2, 3) scenarios according to the following
table
Figure 5. Encryption/Decryption delay setting
III. The Results
An event of the simulation is defined as Web Browsing (Light HTTP), and Database Access (Light).
Results were collected after the simulation was run. Statistics of each scenario presented in a graph that detailed
the activity throughout the simulation. Graph 6 illustrates the time average (in TCP Delay (Second)).
Scenario Encryption/Decryption Delay(ms)
Encryption Delay 1 0.02 ms

Figure 6.Time_average(in TCP Delay (sec))
The graph shows that the TCP Delay increased simultaneously with the encryption/decryption delay.
the lowest value of the delay is before applying encrypted tunnels and the highest value in scenario 3(Encryption
Delay 3)which have the highest encryption delay value.
Graph 7 shows the time average (in TCP Segment delay (Sec)).from the graph we remarked that the segment
delay also increased according to the increased in encryption delay. Lowest value in NO_ Encryption scenario
and highest value in scenario 3(Encryption Delay 3).
Figure 7.Time average (in TCP segment Delay (sec))
Figure 8 illustrate IP End-to-End delay Variation in the four scenarios. The delay also increased according to the
value of encryption Delay.

Figure 8.Time_average (in IP End-to-End Delay Variation (Sec))
Figure 9 illustrate the TCP connection Delay. Three scenarios are shown here (Encryption Delay 1, 2, 3
Scenarios).the graph shows that the delay increased forward from scenario 1 to scenario 3.
Figure 9.Time_average (TCP connection Delay (Sec))
IV. Conclusion
Referring to the graphs we get that there is a vast TCP Delay after applying the Encrypted tunnels, TCP
delay increased according to encryption delay. The Delay on TCP traffic leads to network congestion which
affects the performance and stability of the network.
Encryption is the most effective mechanism to secure the flow of data traffic within the network.
Encrypted data face some issues. Packet loss, out-of order packets, and TCP latency. Balancing between
complex encryption algorithms and performance of the network must is so important to reduce the effect of
encryption delay on the network. Using fast encryption algorithms like Blowfish and RC4 when the data is not
so important. CPU speed is major part of any encryption system.

References
[1]. Henric Johnson , Network Security, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden.
[2]. W. ~Diffie and E.~Hellman, {New directions in cryptography}, IEEE Transactions on Information Theory {22} (1976).
[3]. Douglas E.Comer, Computer Networks and Internets
[4]. McDysan. D. (2000), VPN applications Guide
[5]. Behrouz A. Forouzan (2007), Data Communications and Networking
[6]. J. Walrand and P. Varaiya, High-Performance Communication Networks.
[7]. Dina Katabi, Mark Handley, and Charlie Rohrs, "Congestion Control for High Bandwidth-Delay Product Networks,"
[8]. David D. Clark, Van Jacobson, John Romkey, and Howard Salwen, "An Analysis of TCP Processing Overhead," IEEE
Communications Magazine, June 1989
[9]. Kent, IP Authentication Header, November 1998.
[10]. IPsec VPN WAN Design Overview,http://www.cisco.com
[11]. IPsec Direct Encapsulation Design Guide— http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/solutions.
[12]. Kosiur, D,"Building and Managing Virtual Private Networks," New York, NY(1998).
[13]. Erwin, M., Scott, C, Wolfe ," Virtual Private Networks" Sebastopol CA: O'Rielly , Associates Inc(1999).

The effect of Encryption algorithms Delay on TCP Traffic over data networks

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