Software-defined Networking-based DDoS Defense Mechanisms

Abstract

Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDoS) is recognized to be one of the most catastrophic attacks against various digital communication entities. Software-defined networking (SDN) is an emerging technology for computer networks that uses open protocols for controlling switches and routers placed at the network edges by using specialized open programmable interfaces. In this article, a detailed study on DDoS threats prevalent in SDN is presented. First, SDN features are examined from the perspective of security, and then a discussion on SDN security features is done. Further, two viewpoints on protecting networks against DDoS attacks are presented. In the first view, SDN utilizes its abilities to secure conventional networks. In the second view, SDN may become a victim of the threat itself because of the centralized control mechanism. The main focus of this research work is on discovering critical security implications in SDN while reviewing the current ongoing research studies. By emphasizing the available state-of-the-art techniques, an extensive review of the advancement of SDN security is provided to the research and IT communities.