Now similar to the other types of spoofing attacks, dynamic host configuration protocol Dhcp spoofing
involves an attacker pretending to be someone else, in this case acting as a legitimate Dhcp server.
Since Dhcp is used on most networks to provide, addressing and other common information to clients,
losing control of this part of the network can be dangerous.
Dynamic host configuration protocol, Dhcp.
It's a protocol used to provide automatic and central management for the distribution of IP addresses
within a network.
It's also used to configure the proper subnet mask default gateway and DNS server information on the
device.
In most homes and small businesses, the router acts as a Dhcp server.
In large networks, a single computer might act as a Dhcp server.
In short, the process goes like this.
The device the client requests an IP address from a router.
The host.
After which the host assigns an available IP address to allow the client to communicate on the network.
So let's look at some of the advantages of using Dhcp.
A computer or any other device that connects to a network, local or internet.
Must be properly configured to communicate on that network.
Makes sense since Dhcp allows that configuration to happen automatically.
It's used in almost every device that connects to a network, including computers, switches, smart
phones, gaming consoles, you name it.
Now because of this dynamic IP address assignment.
There's less of a chance that two devices will have the same IP address, which is very easy to run
into when using manually assigned static IP addresses.
Using Dhcp also makes a network much easier to manage from an administrative point of view.
Every device on the network can get an IP address with nothing more than their default network settings,
which is set up to obtain an address automatically.
So that's easy.
Gives them nothing to call the help desk about.
The only other alternative is to manually assign addresses to each and every device on the network.
You're not getting paid enough to do that.
So because these devices can get an IP address automatically, they can move freely from one network
to another.
Given that they're all set up with Dhcp and receive an IP address automatically, which is super helpful
with mobile devices.
Now, as a cyber security expert, you should know one more thing about the Dhcp mechanism.
The first device which replies to a Dhcp.
Discover request decides the configuration of the client.
There is not any mechanism to authenticate the Dhcp server.
Similarly, a Dhcp server tries to reply to all the Dhcp requests and again there is no authentication
mechanism for the clients who request an IP.
You get it.
I think you do.
What if a hacker replies before the real Dhcp?
Or what if a client sends a lot of Dhcp discovery requests by changing the Mac address each time?