Host model

Article summary

In computer networking, a host model is an option of designing the TCP/IP stack of a networking operating system like Microsoft Windows or Linux. When a unicast packet arrives at a host, IP must determine whether the packet is locally destined (its destination matches an address that is assigned to an interface of the host). If the IP stack is implemented with a weak host model, it accepts any locally destined packet regardless of the network interface on which the packet was received. If the IP stack is implemented with a strong host model, it only accepts locally destined packets if the destination IP address in the packet matches an IP address assigned to the network interface on which the packet was received. The weak host model provides better network connectivity (for example, it can be easy to find any packet arriving at the host using ordinary tools), but it also makes hosts susceptible to multihome-based network attacks. For example, in some configurations when a system running a weak host model is connected to a VPN, other systems on the same subnet can compromise the security of the VPN connection. Systems running the strong host model are not susceptible to this type of attack. The IPv4 implementation in Microsoft Windows versions prior to Windows Vista uses the weak host model.…

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