Academic research containing data diodes

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Reply with a link to the research

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Building an Affordable Data Diode to Protect Journalists
Peter Story
Clark University
PeStory@clarku.edu

Abstract
Journalists and other high-risk populations must protect themselves from powerful adversaries. For example, journalists using SecureDrop open potentially malicious documents on an air-gapped workstation to protect themselves from data exfiltration. However, transferring documents across an air-gap is inconvenient, and challenging to do securely. We propose using a “data diode,” a unidirectional network device, to navigate an air-gap securely and conveniently. Unfortunately, proprietary off-the-shelf data diodes are prohibitively expensive,
with prices in the thousands of dollars. First, we survey solutions for using commodity hardware to build a cost-effective data diode. Then, we build a data diode for less than $80. Next, we describe the performance and reliability of transferring data across the device. We test existing software to identify settings that enable reliable data transfers. We also describe our prototype software, pydiode, which transfers data reliably at higher speeds than the other software we tested. Finally, we explain next steps to prepare data diodes for deployment
to newsrooms.

https://pep23.com/assets/pdf/pep23-paper7.pdf (7/6/2023)

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DATADIODI JA SEN SOVELLUTUKSET (DATA DIODE AND ITS APPLICATIONS)
Janne Niinisaari
Opinnäytetyö
Tekniikan ammattikorkeakoulututkinto
Tieto- ja viestintätekniikan koulutus

ABSTRACT
The objective of the thesis was to study unidirectional gateways, i.e., data diodes, and their applications and to build a self-made data diode for educational use in the Cyber Security Laboratory of the Kotka campus of Southeastern Finland University of Applied Sciences. The goal was to create the most affordable and simple implementation of a data diode and test its usability for data transfer with five different methods. The theory part of the thesis reviews different ways to implement a data diode and issues to be taken into account when creating and using a unidirectional connection. The theory part also introduces the most common uses for a data diode and the methods for data transfer tested in the thesis. The research method of the thesis is constructive research, and the focus is on the construction of a data diode. The implementation phase was carried out cyclically, whereafter each data diode implementation model the result was analyzed and developed, and the planning for a new implementation was started. The material for the implementation phase was collected based on observation and test results.
The result was a very simplified and inexpensive data diode, whose price estimate and usability were compared to commercial products based in a few different sources. The thesis also serves as a guide for building and using a homemade data diode with a few common methods for data transfer. As the work progressed, some further development ideas for the client also emerged.
These ideas mostly focus on using data diode in virtual environments and finding a way to monitor the traffic going through a unidirectional connection
Keywords: data, diodes, cyber security, optical fibres

https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/786042/Niinisaari_Janne.pdf (12/8/2022)