Protection methods against IP packet attacks

Abstract

Attackers most frequently use TCP and UDP vulnerabilities in various probing and spoofing attacks. TECP and UDP are the most common data fields in Internet IP packets, but unfortunately these segments contain known vulnerabilities. There are, however, protection devices available in the forms of firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) that can help filter these attack packets, or alert users when an attack is happening. There are many different types of firewalls, IDS, and IPS on the market today. It is extremely important to know what types exist, the inherent advantages and disadvantages that each has in given applications, and how to effectively control the functionality of the systems. Each has its own methods that are best in specific situations, and sometimes it is best to use a combination of multiple systems working simultaneously.This paper examines some protection systems available today, along with different packet inspection methods, functions, and architectures associated with each. Specific areas highlighted include selecting the correct system for a given situation, the best way to set up access control lists, and how to pick the best location for the system.