- Host model
In
computer networking , a host model is an option of designing theTCP/IP stack of a networkingoperating system likeMicrosoft Windows orLinux . When aunicast 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. The strong host model provides better security.
The
IPv4 implementation inMicrosoft Windows versions prior toWindows Vista uses the weak host model. TheWindows Vista andWindows Server 2008 TCP/IP stack supports the strong host model for both IPv4 andIPv6 and is configured to use it by default. However, it can also configured to use a weak host model. [ [http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc137807.aspx The Cable Guy - Strong and Weak Host Models (Figure 4)] ]The
IPv4 implementation inLinux defaults to the weak host model. Source validation by reversed path, as specified in RFC 1812 can be enabled (the rp_filter option), and some distributions do so by default. This is not quite the same as the strong host model, but defends against the same class of attacks for typical multihomed hosts.References
External links
* [http://faqs.org/rfcs/rfc1122 RFC1122: The Internet standard which defines strong and weak behaviours in technical terms. (search for "weak" in the text").]
* [http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/09/CableGuy/default.aspx The Cable Guy: Strong and Weak Host Models]
* [http://lxr.linux.no/linux/Documentation/networking/ip-sysctl.txt Linux IP-relates sysctl options]
* [http://osdir.com/ml/netbsd.devel.network/2005-12/msg00080.html discussion of NetBSD's option for weak/strong host model. current defaults have not been researched by this author.]
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