Proposal for nic_tap component

[Martijn Verschoor]

Hi everyone,

I would like to pitch an idea to improve network protocol debugging on
Genode.

I value the verbosity option of the `nic_router` and the `nic_dump`
components, but sometimes I'd like the ability delve deeper into
packets, like I am used to with Wireshark. But extending the log based
network debugging in Genode to reach that level of detail clearly
doesn't make sense.

Another option is to introduce an intercepting `nic_tap` component that
implements a bump-in-the-interface between a Nic client and a Nic server
and duplicates all packets between the client and the server to a
dedicated Nic tap interface. A Nic client connected to the Nic tap
interface is presented with all network packets, both up- and
downstream, of the intercepted Nic session.

The nic_tap is especially useful when running on real hardware. There
are various ways to use the nic_tap. An obvious scenario is to setup an
instance of VirtualBox with Linux and Wireshark that is routed to use
the Nic tap. But it should also be possible to route the Nic tap to an
external Nic interface (granted that you have a solution to tie two Nic
clients together, but that’s easy enough).

In my view the nic_tap would be a valuable and complementing addition to
the set of Genode network debugging tools.

What do you think, would you benefit from such a component?

-- 

Met vriendelijke groet / kind regards,

Martijn Verschoor

Cyber Security Labs B.V. | Gooimeer 6-31 | 1411 DD Naarden | The Netherlands
+31 35 631 3253 (office) |  +31 616 014 087 (mobile)