An Overview of Network Address and Protocol Message Spoofing Attacks

Network protocols use addresses and control messages to exchange data and establish communication between devices. When this information is not properly verified, attackers can replace it with false information. This paper presents an overview of IP spoofing, MAC spoofing, NDP spoofing, and DNS spoofing. It explains how these attacks work, what conditions they require, and how they can affect network security. Their connection with man-in-the-middle attacks is also discussed. The paper compares basic protective measures, including source address filtering, port security, protection of IPv6 discovery messages, DNSSEC, and encrypted communication with proper authentication. The review shows why different spoofing attacks require different protection measures and why network addresses alone should not be treated as proof of identity.