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This integrated security framework entails the combination of transport layer Security protocols, bolstering encryption and data integrity during transmission, with XMPP's inherent peer authentication mechanisms. Together, these measures fortify the overall security posture, ensuring robust protection for both client interactions and server communications within the XMPP framework.
Fig. 1: Security mechanisms in XMPP
Fig. 2 illustrates the XMPP communication connections, categorized into end-to-middle (E2M) transport layer connections and end-to-end (E2E) application layer connections. The E2M connections operate between XMPP client–server or server–server at the transport layers, while E2E connections are established between IEC 61850 client–server at the application layer, as depicted in Fig. 1. Consequently, security mechanisms are incorporated at both the transport and application layers for SCSM 8-2 mapping.
Fig. 2: Communication flow sequence between XMPP clients
In E2M XMPP communication, mutual authentication, integrity, and confidentiality are attained at the transport layer through the implementation of two security protocols: TLS and SASL. Following the specifications outlined in RFC 6120 (XMPP Core), the TLS protocol is utilized to define an SSL/TLS profile, ensuring data encryption to prevent tampering and eavesdropping. As depicted in Fig. 2, between the XMPP client and XMPP server, a TCP connection is first established, and subsequently, a TLS connection is negotiated through the exchange of 'STARTTLS' commands and X.509 certificates. This TLS negotiation results in all transmissions becoming encrypted and secure, thereby ensuring integrity and confidentiality within E2M communication. Upon completion of TLS negotiation, SASL authentication messages are exchanged, validating the end peers as authenticated users for continued XMPP client–server communication.
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