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IP spoofing refers to connection hijacking through a fake Internet Protocol (IP) address. IP spoofing is the action of masking a computer IP address so that it looks like it is authentic. During this masking process, the fake IP address sends what appears to be a malevolent message coupled with an IP address that appears to be authentic and trusted. In IP spoofing, IP headers are masked through a form of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) in which spoofers discover and then manipulate vital information contained in the IP header such as IP address and source and destination information.
Techopedia Explains IP Spoofing
A popular misconception about IP spoofing is that it permits unauthorized access to computers. This is not the case. In fact, IP spoofing aims to hijack computer sessions through denial-of-service attacks, which aim to overwhelm the victim with traffic.
Robert Morris first conceptualized IP spoofing when he uncovered what is known as sequence prediction within TCP. Morris noted this to be a gap in IP security. Certain design problems in the TCP/IP suite has lent itself well to cracking IP security and thus enabling IP spoofing. Wise IP security professionals are keenly aware of the possibility of IP spoofing and take measures to guard against its implementation.
