Information is disassembled into small data packets and sent independently to the destination address, then reassembled. Each packet is known as an IP packet. TCP/IP is the protocol responsible for orchestrating the movement of IP packets through cyberspace. Encrypted packets protect sensitive information from packet sniffers.
Computers are not only an integral part of today’s world, they have become a passion. Hotels, cafes and even municipalities have made Internet access available, answering the demand for connectivity. But how does information travel in cyberspace from one computer to another? Like Star Trek’s transporter, information is disassembled into small chunks of data, sent independently to the destination address, then reassembled at the receiving end. Each block of data is known as an IP packet.
Every time you connect to the Internet, your Internet Service Provider assigns your computer a unique numerical address. This unique address identifies your computer on the network so that you can request and receive information. The address is known as an Internet Protocol (IP) address. When you initiate a request, for example by clicking on a link in your web browser, the request travels across the Internet in the form of data packets marked with your IP address. Hence the term, IP packets.
Due to the structure of networks, small IP packets work more efficiently than large packets. Not only would a single large IP packet take longer to transmit, but high traffic conditions would quickly choke up the network. Sending smaller packets (up to about 1500 bytes) has the advantage of moving more traffic through available routes at a faster rate with less potential for bottlenecks. As a result, each IP packet travels the Internet independently, guided by routers that read the destination address and forward the packet along the fastest available path. At the destination address the packets are reassembled.
The protocol responsible for orchestrating the movement of IP packets through cyberspace is the Transfer Control Protocol, better known as TCP. TCP is “layered” on top of the addressing protocol (IP) to split requests into small packets, monitor the arrival of each IP packet at the destination address, request retransmission of missing packets, and reassemble the packets into the original form. This suite of protocols is known as TCP/IP, a term likely familiar to anyone who has set up an Internet connection.
Each IP packet contains vital information that allows it to be properly manipulated by TCP. The “DNA” of an IP packet includes, among other things, the size of the IP packet, the sender and destination addresses, and the payload itself or the data being sent. Packet numbering, error reporting and fragmentation are also included, with an end-of-life stamp to prevent lost packets bouncing endlessly around cyberspace as junk traffic. Packages that don’t arrive at their destination on time are simply discarded.
A successful transmission is processed by a web server which responds by sending the requested web page, which in turn is split into IP packets for its return journey to your computer screen. These rushing packets of data make up “The Information Superhighway.”
While TCP/IP may seem involved, it runs faster than the Star Trek transporter under normal conditions. So what’s up with those occasional slow page loads? Assuming your computer is capable of processing page content quickly, a slow load can be caused by third-party ad servers or a busy website that is processing more requests than its hardware can comfortably handle.
Despite the robust nature of TCP/IP, the protocol has one drawback. Anyone can “listen in” to what is being transmitted between your computer and the Internet without your knowledge. How is it possible?
A typical IP packet might go through several routers and servers before reaching its destination. At any moment, specialized software or hardware can ‘trap’ the data packet, taking a snapshot before forwarding it. The intruder’s stolen copy can be scanned and read at will, as the IP packet payloads are sent as plain text, sometimes referred to as “the clear text”. Tools that intercept IP packets are known as “packet sniffers.”
Network administrators legitimately use packet sniffers to troubleshoot local area networks (LANs) and to filter unwanted traffic from the Internet. Law enforcement agencies may plant packet sniffers on an Internet service provider to monitor all or part of its traffic, if the provider agrees or is required by law to comply. But packet sniffers can also be used by virtually anyone to intercept or worse, steal sensitive information like passwords and usernames sent over unencrypted channels.
With identity theft on the rise and privacy concerns at an all-time high, the best way to protect yourself from packet sniffers is to use encryption for all transmissions that contain personal information. Encrypted packets are unreadable en route and are only decrypted at the destination address.
Online retailers already provide secure, encrypted connections for passing data between your computer and the website. To verify encryption, look for https in the address field of your web browser. The extra “s” stands for security and indicates that all traffic between your computer and the web server is encrypted. Your computer will still generate IP packets, but the payload portion of the IP packet will be in unreadable code, protecting credit cards, bank accounts, and other highly sensitive information from prying eyes.
Since the IP packet is also used for email, file transfers, telnet and other network services, you may also choose to encrypt other transmissions. Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), a military-grade encryption program, can automatically encrypt mail in several popular email programs. GNU Privacy Guard (GPG), based on the same source code but part of the Free Software Foundation, is another encryption program. GPG used with the Enigma plug-in provides Mozilla Thunderbird with easy-to-use, fully automated encryption.
Web browsing may be encrypted using online security services, although it may slow down browsing and is probably too much for the average person. Browsing using anonymous proxy servers that sit between your computer and the Internet is a more common alternative for those who wish to browse anonymously.
Additional protocols can be packaged with TCP/IP to form other “suites” that suit different types of hardware and network environments. In special situations User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is sometimes replaced by TCP, but it provides no mechanism for IP packet loss, since TCP lacks the ability to call for retransmissions. Network host computers may use several additional protocols to exchange router information, such as Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), Interior and Exterior Gateway Protocols (IGP/EGP), and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).
Using the Internet from familiar environments at home or school causes many people, especially children, to have a false sense of security and privacy. A basic understanding of IP packet “vulnerability” and the ubiquitous availability of packet sniffers drives home the point that you should always verify a secure, encrypted (https) connection before sharing sensitive information online. The rule is that anything that travels unencrypted should be considered public and not private.
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