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Definition[]

The Internet Protocol is

[a] formal set of conventions (both semantic and syntactic) governing the format and control of interaction among parts of the system that communicates with each other.[1]
a set of procedures in a telecommunications network that terminals or nodes in that network use to send signals back and forth and that track the address of nodes, route outgoing messages, and recognize incoming messages.

Overview[]

The existing Internet Protocol (Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4)) — supports a maximum of 4.3 billion IP addresses, limiting the number of devices that can be given a unique IP address to connect to the Internet.

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the next generation of the Internet Protocol (IP). IPv6 will provide the Internet with one billion-squared IP addresses, which should suffice for many years.

Vulnerabilities[]

Existing Internet protocols were not designed for today’s Internet, where the trustworthiness of users cannot be assumed and where high-stakes, mission-critical applications increasingly reside. Malicious users exploit the weakness of existing Internet protocols to achieve anonymity and use that anonymity as a safe haven from which to launch repeated attacks on their victims.

References[]

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