Question

What are the potential dangers to merge network layer with transport layer of computer networking protocol stack?

Answer 1

What are the potential dangers to merge network layer with transport layer of computer networking protocol stack?

First we should know about what is protocol stack -

The protocol stack or network stack is an implementation of computer networking protocol suite or protocol family. Some of these terms are used interchangeably but strictly spaeking, the suite s the defination of the communication protocols and the stack is the software implementation of them.

This is figure of Protocol stack of the OSI model.

Individual protocols within a suite are often designed with a single purpose in mind. This modularization simplifies design and evaluation. Because each protocol module usually communicates with two others, they are commonly imagined as layers in a stack of protocols. The lowest protocol always deals with low-level interaction with the communications hardware. Each higher layer adds additional capabilities. User applications usually deal only with the topmost layers.

The potential dangers of the Networking Layer and Transport Layer by merging with each other is the possibility of an attacker trying to send data from equipment with a certain IP address when in reality they are doing so from another address a process called IP spoofing. One way to minimize such attacks is to include authentication processes in the application layer, together with data encryption mechanisms. Finally, as the connection is end-to-end in the transport layer, increasing protection at the terminals is the first step for preventing fraudulent connections. Updating your applications in order to protect the network from any vulnerabilities and errors that might arise is the very first measure for reinforcing your equipment.