Design and Implementation of a SCION Testbed for Internet Censorship Research

SCION (Scalability, Control, and Isolation On Next-generation networks) is a secure, high-performance internet architecture designed to address the limitations of today's Internet in terms of security, scalability, and performance. It operates by dividing the global network into independently managed isolation domains (ISDs) that provide control over routing, trust, and security policies. SCION ensures path transparency and control, allowing users to select the most efficient and secure routes. It improves resilience to attacks like BGP hijacking, enhances end-to-end security, and offers better control over data flows. Overall, SCION aims to create a more robust, efficient, and secure Internet suitable for critical infrastructure and large-scale applications [1, 2].

The SCION project initially started as an academic effort focused on designing a better, more secure, and high-performing Internet, using a clean-slate approach. Over the years, it has evolved into a reliable Internet architecture with increasing global adoption. This progress is due to the maturity of both the SCION architecture and its open-source foundation. Additionally, companies like Anapaya Systems have contributed to the SCION ecosystem by developing scalable, industrial-grade routers and edge devices based on its design [1].

1) An in-depth review of modern Internet architectures.

2) Design and implement a SCION network in a testbed that adequately reflects a real-world setup.

3) Assess how this network can be used to simulate Internet censorship enforcement and censorship circumvention, by evaluating, for instance, the circumvention effectiveness.

[1] L. Chuat, M. Legner, D. Basin, D. Hausheer, S. Hitz, P. Müller, A. Perrig, “The Complete Guide to SCION,” in Information Security and Cryptography, Springer Nature Switzerland AG, Switzerland, 2022.

[2] SCION Association, 2024. Available: https://www.scion.org/ [Accessed: 23.09.2024]