TCP Sequence Prediction

What Does TCP Sequence Prediction Mean?

TCP sequence prediction involves assessing messages transmitted over TCP protocol between a receiver and a sender and understanding the sequence that governs the series of data packets. It can be useful in a certain type of hacking effort called a TCP sequence prediction attack.

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Techopedia Explains TCP Sequence Prediction

In a TCP sequence prediction attack, the hacker is trying to predict the sequence of the next data packet to be sent. If he or she can successfully guess the sequence number, that party can interject a data packet with the same sequence number arising from the same IP address and successfully submit fraudulent packets to the receiver.

In order to figure out the sequence number, the hacker might listen in on the communication or assess it to see the series of sequence numbers, in order to predict which sequence number is coming next. These types of problems illustrate TCP/IP vulnerabilities relevant to the common internet protocol.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…