1. SOCKS (SOCKet Secure) Presentation by: Group KangKong
CMPE209
Members: Eddy Kang
Leo Kong

2. SOCKS Agenda What is SOCKS? Characteristic/Advantages of SOCKS
Applications
Security
Case Study
Reference
Q&A

3. What is SOCKS? SOCKS = Secured Over Credential-based Kerberos Services
Proxy definition: Server that relays request from a client to a server
SOCKS is protocol that defines the communication from user to the proxy
SOCKS relays a user’s TCP/UDP session over a firewall.
Allow transparent access for the application users.

4. What is SOCKS?
Similar to a HTTP Proxy

5. Characteristics and advantages of SOCKS
SOCKS is part of Session layer.
Transparent support for any protocols above of Session layers.

6. Characteristics and advantages of SOCKS
Two versions of SOCKS
SOCKSv4
SOCKSv5
How does it work: 3 steps
Generation of connection requests
Establishment of proxy circuits
Relaying applicative data
Authentication (only in version 5)

7. Characteristics and advantages of SOCKS
Any applications can use SOCKS
Support UDP (version 5)
Proxy bi-directional
Use domain name (DNS) instead of IP address
Authentication is available in version 5 to assure user identity and its privileges.

8. Applications SOCKS can be use by anyone, companies or individual
Sample Servers available online:
SS5 Socks Server
OpenSSH (support SOCKS)
WinSocks - Socks Proxy Server
Sample Clients available online:
WideCap
HTTP-Tunnel Client
ProxyCap

9. Security about SOCKS
ONLY a protocol that routes network packets between client and the SOCKS proxy server
No built-in security feature besides Authentication in Version 5
Needs to pair with security protocol to secure communication: ex, SSH, HTTPS, etc.
Security Goal
Features
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Authentication
Available in V5

10. SOCKS Case Study: HTTP Proxy With Firewall

11. SOCKS Case Study: SOCKS Proxy with Firewall
SOCKS Proxy overview behind firewall

12. SOCKS Case Study: SOCKS Proxy
Data sent between User and SOCKS Proxy are not secured.
No Confidentiality/Integrity is guaranteed
Authentication is available in Version 5 only.
Recommend to use SSH Tunnel between User and SOCKS Proxy.
HTTP Request still in clear text leaving SOCKS Proxy => Use HTTPS.

13. SOCKS Case Study: Anonymity Software using SOCKS
TOR uses SOCKS proxy to provide anonymity to users.

14. Reference Wikipedia: RFC 1929 RFC1928 RFC 1961
RFC 1929
Username/Password Authentication for SOCKS ver 5
RFC1928
SOCKS Protocol ver 5
RFC 1961
 GSS-API Authentication Method for SOCKS ver 5

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