Inter-domain routing bottlenecks and their aggravation
Abstract As autonomous systems tend to forward packets along the path with minimal routing cost, Internet routes are unevenly distributed on physical links. Links which a large number of routes go through are called routing bottlenecks. Flooding such routing bottlenecks can degrade or even cut off the network connectivity in a large area, making them a serious vulnerability of the Internet. In this paper, we study the characteristics of inter-domain routing bottlenecks and point out that they can be further aggravated by manipulating BGP updates to launch prefix hijackings. We first simulate large quantities of AS-level routing paths to illustrate the pervasiveness of inter-domain routing bottlenecks, as well as their direction, topological location, distance and concentration. Then, we propose a method for measuring and aggravating inter-domain bottlenecks of some AS, such that link flooding on them can be effectively amplified in a stealthy way. Moreover, adversary can adjust the specific method according to its purpose of malicious behaviour. At last, we discuss how inter-domain routing bottlenecks may be affected as the Internet evolves, where we witness the new, or wider, deployment of some routing related mechanisms.