SecureSDNLab: An Open-Source Dockerized Platform for SDN Information Security and Research

Abstract

Software-defined networking (SDN) has revolutionized computer networks by offering enhanced flexibility, programmability, and centralized control. Understanding vulnerabilities and potential network attacks within SDN architectures is crucial for developing effective defense mechanisms and ensuring network integrity and confidentiality. Existing solutions have limitations such as limited documentation, lack of integration with other tools, non-replicability, or the inability to reproduce specific attacks, hindering practical experience and thorough assessments of SDN security. This paper introduces SecureSDNLab, a comprehensive Dockerized platform for SDN information security, learning, and research, empowering researchers, educators, and students to gain practical insights into SDN security and contribute to the advancement of secure SDN deployments by experimenting with theoretical techniques in practical network scenarios. Future works aim to develop a GUI using open-source tools and technologies and focus on creating new networking scenarios for emerging technologies like 5G, IoT, and Non-Terrestrial Networks.