ABSTRACT
As discussed in Chapter 1, network layers use protocols to coordinate their interaction. These protocols are often designed to solve a particular problem or to address a need. Protocols are designed to provide a set of functions and are defined by a standard. Protocol standards are created and maintained by many different groups, ranging from international organizations to professional societies to ad hoc groups. Standards are often written as English narratives that are open to interpretation. Standards are also meant to be a functional description of how the protocol behaves and interacts with the other layers (above and below). Throughout the remaining chapters we will look in detail at several different standards and how their design and implementation impact security. There are several overarching protocol design concepts that have an impact on network security. These include protocol specifications, protocol addresses, and protocol headers.
