Development of a Safe, Virtual Imaging Instrument for Logically Destructive Experiments (ReAssure)

Research Areas: End System Security, Network Security,

Principal Investigator: Pascal Meunier

This proposal, developing a networked system to allow safe and rapid analysis of network security and vulnerabilities with respect to worms, viruses, and other malicious conduct, creates a reconfigurable facility, named ReASSURE, for efficient reproducible, controlled, and safely contained experiments in computer science and technology with emphasis on information assurance and security. The new instrument will integrate functionalities in a manner that will enable high levels of safety and efficiency in manipulating, testing, and developing potentially dangerous experimental networking and virtual machine software while providing computational power to remote users. Advancing the study of virtual machine technology, the activity offers settings where potentially dangerous experimentation with networking and VM technologies can be performed safely. Providing as testbed networking facility, the infrastructure supports projects that require “self-contained” computing environments in computer science (including security), computer technology, forensics, and information warfares.

Keywords: virtual machines, malware, testbed, sandbox