{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7135170807","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2026.3673910","title":"A Tor-Based Anonymous Network Covert Channel","display_name":"A Tor-Based Anonymous Network Covert Channel","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-13","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7135170807","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2026.3673910"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tdsc.2026.3673910","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2026.3673910","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S133795288","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing","issn_l":"1545-5971","issn":["1545-5971","1941-0018","2160-9209"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5090764413","display_name":"Qingyan Chen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3204-9488"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210090971","display_name":"Southeast University","ror":"https://ror.org/00cf0ab87","country_code":"BD","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210090971"]}],"countries":["BD"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Qi Chen","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of  Computer  Science  and  Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2386-3211","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of  Computer  Science  and  Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210090971"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5101582205","display_name":"Mi Yang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7280-1497"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210090971","display_name":"Southeast University","ror":"https://ror.org/00cf0ab87","country_code":"BD","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210090971"]}],"countries":["BD"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ming Yang","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of  Computer  Science  and  Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8209-1000","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of  Computer  Science  and  Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210090971"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128942617","display_name":"Zhen Ling","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210090971","display_name":"Southeast University","ror":"https://ror.org/00cf0ab87","country_code":"BD","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210090971"]}],"countries":["BD"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhen Ling","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of  Computer  Science  and  Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9691-8702","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of  Computer  Science  and  Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210090971"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5108968491","display_name":"Zixia Liu","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I92178344","display_name":"Anhui University of Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/02qdtrq21","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I92178344"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zixia Liu","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Computer Science and Technology, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Computer Science and Technology, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I92178344"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5021904060","display_name":"Lan Luo","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5627-3521"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I92178344","display_name":"Anhui University of Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/02qdtrq21","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I92178344"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Lan Luo","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Computer Science and Technology, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5627-3521","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Computer Science and Technology, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I92178344"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":null,"display_name":"Changwei Cao","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210090971","display_name":"Southeast University","ror":"https://ror.org/00cf0ab87","country_code":"BD","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210090971"]}],"countries":["BD"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Changwei Cao","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of  Computer  Science  and  Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of  Computer  Science  and  Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210090971"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5046510716","display_name":"Shan Wang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7742-8679"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I14243506","display_name":"Hong Kong Polytechnic University","ror":"https://ror.org/0030zas98","country_code":"HK","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I14243506"]}],"countries":["HK"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Shan Wang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7742-8679","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I14243506"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5063375840","display_name":"Xinwen Fu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2391-7789"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I133738476","display_name":"University of Massachusetts Lowell","ror":"https://ror.org/03hamhx47","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I133738476"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xinwen Fu","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computer Science, Kennedy College of Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Boston, MA, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2391-7789","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computer Science, Kennedy College of Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Boston, MA, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I133738476"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":4,"institutions_distinct_count":8,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.33557867,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"23","issue":"3","first_page":"7403","last_page":"7421"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11598","display_name":"Internet Traffic Analysis and Secure E-voting","score":0.9972000122070312,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11598","display_name":"Internet Traffic Analysis and Secure E-voting","score":0.9972000122070312,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10388","display_name":"Advanced Steganography and Watermarking Techniques","score":0.0005000000237487257,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10237","display_name":"Cryptography and Data Security","score":0.0003000000142492354,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/anonymity","display_name":"Anonymity","score":0.9139999747276306},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/covert","display_name":"Covert","score":0.7957000136375427},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/covert-channel","display_name":"Covert channel","score":0.7807999849319458},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/adversary","display_name":"Adversary","score":0.6741999983787537},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/channel","display_name":"Channel (broadcasting)","score":0.632099986076355},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/transmission","display_name":"Transmission (telecommunications)","score":0.5582000017166138},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/identity","display_name":"Identity (music)","score":0.4733000099658966},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/encoding","display_name":"Encoding (memory)","score":0.4700999855995178}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178005623","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q308859","display_name":"Anonymity","level":2,"score":0.9139999747276306},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779338814","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5179285","display_name":"Covert","level":2,"score":0.7957000136375427},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C29024540","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1476964","display_name":"Covert channel","level":5,"score":0.7807999849319458},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.7443000078201294},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41065033","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2825412","display_name":"Adversary","level":2,"score":0.6741999983787537},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C38652104","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3510521","display_name":"Computer security","level":1,"score":0.6656000018119812},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C127162648","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16858953","display_name":"Channel (broadcasting)","level":2,"score":0.632099986076355},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C761482","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q118093","display_name":"Transmission (telecommunications)","level":2,"score":0.5582000017166138},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31258907","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1301371","display_name":"Computer network","level":1,"score":0.5238999724388123},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778355321","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17079427","display_name":"Identity (music)","level":2,"score":0.4733000099658966},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C125411270","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18653","display_name":"Encoding (memory)","level":2,"score":0.4700999855995178},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2983568541","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q389772","display_name":"Information transmission","level":2,"score":0.4106999933719635},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137822555","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2587068","display_name":"Information sensitivity","level":2,"score":0.39629998803138733},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C522325796","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q471880","display_name":"Identity theft","level":2,"score":0.3919000029563904},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C182590292","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q989632","display_name":"Network security","level":2,"score":0.3515999913215637},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781317605","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7832483","display_name":"Traffic analysis","level":2,"score":0.34450000524520874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C192126672","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1068715","display_name":"Telecommunications network","level":2,"score":0.30799999833106995},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108827166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175975","display_name":"Internet privacy","level":1,"score":0.30720001459121704},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780378061","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25351891","display_name":"Service (business)","level":2,"score":0.2912999987602234},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178489894","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8789","display_name":"Cryptography","level":2,"score":0.2766000032424927},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C93996380","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q44127","display_name":"Server","level":2,"score":0.2685000002384186},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C97744766","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q870845","display_name":"Channel capacity","level":3,"score":0.25189998745918274},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C527648132","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q189900","display_name":"Information security","level":2,"score":0.25130000710487366}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tdsc.2026.3673910","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2026.3673910","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S133795288","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing","issn_l":"1545-5971","issn":["1545-5971","1941-0018","2160-9209"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G36496830","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"62232004","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","funder_display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G6642532455","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"92467205","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","funder_display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","ror":"https://ror.org/01h0zpd94"}],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Network":[0,68],"Covert":[1,69],"Channels":[2],"(NCC)":[3],"enhance":[4,178],"covertness":[5,133],"by":[6,29],"concealing":[7],"the":[8,47,55,73,80,82,85,90,106,150,157,172,179,187,192],"existence":[9],"of":[10,49,111,159,206],"information":[11,104],"transmission.":[12],"However,":[13],"traditional":[14],"NCCs":[15,41],"remain":[16],"vulnerable":[17],"to":[18,45,75,123],"traffic":[19,122],"analysis.":[20],"Once":[21],"NCC":[22],"is":[23,72],"detected,":[24],"adversaries":[25],"can":[26],"breach":[27],"anonymity":[28,44,78],"uncovering":[30],"users'":[31],"network":[32,195],"identities":[33],"and":[34,54,84,108,134,168,182,202],"even":[35,141],"communication":[36,86],"relationships.":[37],"While":[38],"certain":[39],"indirect":[40],"offer":[42],"limited":[43],"protect":[46],"identity":[48,160],"at":[50],"most":[51],"one":[52],"party":[53],"relationship,":[56],"this":[57],"level":[58],"proves":[59],"insufficient.":[60],"This":[61,118],"paper":[62],"proposes":[63],"ANCC,":[64],"an":[65],"innovative":[66],"Anonymous":[67],"Channel":[70],"that":[71,140],"first":[74],"achieve":[76],"comprehensive":[77],"for":[79,213],"sender,":[81],"receiver":[83],"relationship.":[87],"By":[88],"leveraging":[89],"Tor":[91,128,194],"network's":[92],"Hidden":[93],"Service":[94],"Directories":[95],"(HSDirs)":[96],"as":[97],"intermediate":[98,148],"nodes,":[99,149],"Tor-based":[100],"ANCC":[101,121],"modulates":[102],"covert":[103],"through":[105],"publication":[107],"retrieval":[109],"statuses":[110],"hidden":[112],"services":[113],"distributed":[114],"on":[115],"multiple":[116,173],"HSDirs.":[117],"mechanism":[119],"allows":[120],"blend":[124],"seamlessly":[125],"into":[126],"legitimate":[127],"traffic,":[129],"ensuring":[130],"both":[131],"robust":[132],"high-level":[135],"anonymity.":[136],"Theoretical":[137],"analysis":[138],"demonstrates":[139,196],"against":[142],"a":[143,197,203],"powerful":[144],"adversary":[145],"compromising":[146],"fifty":[147],"detection":[151],"probability":[152],"remains":[153],"below":[154],"0.25%,":[155],"with":[156],"risk":[158],"or":[161],"relationship":[162],"exposure":[163],"staying":[164],"negligible":[165],"(under":[166],"0.0021%":[167],"0.00002%":[169],"respectively).":[170],"Additionally,":[171],"HSDirs":[174],"supporting":[175],"parallel":[176],"transmission":[177,198],"channel":[180,204],"capacity":[181,205],"error":[183],"correction":[184],"encoding":[185],"strengthens":[186],"robustness.":[188],"Extensive":[189],"evaluation":[190],"within":[191],"real-world":[193],"accuracy":[199],"exceeding":[200],"99.6%":[201],"around":[207],"3":[208],"Kbps,":[209],"proving":[210],"its":[211],"effectiveness":[212],"practical":[214],"applications.":[215]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-06-11T09:08:48.828518","created_date":"2026-03-14T00:00:00"}