Network Protocols

Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) is the next generation of Wi-Fi security. It adds new features to simplify Wi-Fi security, enable more robust authentication, and deliver increased cryptographic strength for highly sensitive data markets.

Quick UDP Internet Connections (QUIC) is a general-purpose transport layer network protocol initially designed by Google. It was designed to provide security equivalent to TLS/SSL, along with reduced connection and transport latency, and bandwidth estimation in each direction to avoid congestion.

The Datagram Congestion Control Protocol (DCCP) is a message-oriented transport layer protocol. It is designed to provide unreliable packet flows with easily configured congestion control mechanisms, useful for streaming media.

Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) is a security protocol and certification program developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to secure wireless computer networks. It significantly improved upon its predecessors by introducing the Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP) based on AES.

Version 3 of the Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) adds support for source-specific multicast, allowing a receiver to explicitly signal interest in traffic from a specific source address, improving bandwidth utilization and security.

SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) is a secure network protocol that provides file access, file transfer, and file management over any reliable data stream. It was designed by the IETF as an extension of SSH to provide secure file transfer capability. Unlike the legacy FTP protocol, SFTP encrypts both commands and data, preventing passwords and sensitive information from being transmitted in the clear over the network.

Transport Layer Security (TLS), the successor to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), is a cryptographic protocol designed to provide communications security over a computer network. It is widely known for securing web traffic (HTTPs).

Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) is a lightweight, publish-subscribe network protocol that transports messages between devices. It is specifically designed for constrained devices and low-bandwidth, high-latency or unreliable networks.

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft which provides a user with a graphical interface to connect to another computer over a network connection. The user employs RDP client software for this purpose, while the other computer must run RDP server software.

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol over SSL/TLS (LDAPS) is a secure version of LDAP. It provides the same directory access services but adds a layer of encryption and authentication through SSL/TLS, ensuring that sensitive credentials and directory data are protected while in transit.

The Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) is a transport layer protocol designed to reserve resources across a network for an integrated services Internet. It signals the network to reserve bandwidth for specific data flows.

The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signaling protocol used for initiating, maintaining, and terminating real-time sessions that include voice, video and messaging applications.

The Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) is a network protocol for delivering audio and video over IP networks. It is used extensively in communication and entertainment systems that involve streaming media.

Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) is a secure network protocol suite that authenticates and encrypts packets of data to provide secure encrypted communication between two computers over an Internet Protocol network.

Secure Shell (SSH) is a cryptographic network protocol for operating network services securely over an unsecured network. Its most notable applications are remote login and command-line execution.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). It is used for secure communication over a computer network, and is widely used on the Internet. In HTTPS, the communication protocol is encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS) or, formerly, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a client/server protocol that automatically provides an Internet Protocol (IP) host with its IP address and other related configuration information such as the subnet mask and default gateway.

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is an open, vendor-neutral, industry standard application protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an IP network. It is commonly used as a central repository for user authentication and organizational information.

Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) is an advanced distance-vector routing protocol developed by Cisco. It automates routing decisions and configuration, supporting rapid convergence and partial updates.

RIPv2 is an enhancement of RIPv1 that includes the ability to carry subnet information, validating the protocol for Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR). It also adds support for multicast updates and authentication.

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application layer protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, where hypertext documents include hyperlinks to other resources that the user can easily access.

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the standardized exterior gateway protocol designed to exchange routing and reachability information among autonomous systems (AS) on the Internet. It is the protocol that makes the internet work.

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is a link-state routing protocol for Internet Protocol (IP) networks. It uses a link state routing algorithm and falls into the group of interior gateway protocols, operating within a single autonomous system.

The Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) is a communications protocol used by hosts and adjacent routers on IPv4 networks to establish multicast group memberships. Version 1 is the original specification.

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an Internet Standard protocol for collecting and organizing information about managed devices on IP networks and for modifying that information to change device behavior.

The Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is one of the oldest distance-vector routing protocols. It employs the hop count as a routing metric. RIPv1 broadcasts the entire routing table to neighbors periodically.

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is an Internet standard protocol used by email clients to retrieve email messages from a mail server over a TCP/IP connection. IMAP was designed with the goal of permitting complete management of an email box by multiple email clients, therefore clients generally leave messages on the server until the user explicitly deletes them.

Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a networking protocol for clock synchronization between computer systems over packet-switched, variable-latency data networks. It is one of the oldest Internet protocols in use.

Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) is an application-layer Internet standard protocol used by e-mail clients to retrieve e-mail from a mail server. POP3 has been largely superseded by IMAP, but it remains in use. Ideally, POP3 is used when you want to download emails to a single computer and remove them from the server.

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and decentralized naming system for computers, services, or other resources connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities.

Server Message Block (SMB) is a network file sharing protocol that allows applications on a computer to read and write to files and request services from server programs in a computer network. It is widely used in Windows environments for sharing files, printers, and serial ports.

The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a communication protocol used for discovering the link layer address, such as a MAC address, associated with a given internet layer address, typically an IPv4 address. This mapping is a critical function in the Internet Protocol suite.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is an internet standard communication protocol for electronic mail transmission. Mail servers and other message transfer agents use SMTP to send and receive mail messages. User-level email clients use SMTP only for sending messages to a mail server for relaying.

The Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP) is a now-obsolete routing protocol that was used to exchange routing information between autonomous systems in the early Internet. It was the predecessor to BGP.

The Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) is a supporting protocol in the Internet protocol suite. It is used by network devices, including routers, to send error messages and operational information indicating success or failure when communicating with another IP address.

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is one of the core members of the Internet protocol suite. It uses a simple connectionless communication model with a minimum of protocol mechanism. UDP provides checksums for data integrity, and port numbers for addressing different functions at the source and destination of the datagram.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is one of the main protocols of the Internet protocol suite. It provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of a stream of bytes between applications running on hosts communicating via an IP network. Major internet applications such as the World Wide Web, email, remote administration, and file transfer rely on TCP.

The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used for the transfer of computer files between a client and server on a computer network. FTP is built on a client-server model architecture using separate control and data connections between the client and the server.

Telnet is an application layer protocol used to provide a bidirectional interactive text-oriented communication facility using a virtual terminal connection. It was the standard for remote access before SSH, but because it sends all data (including passwords) in plain text, it is now considered insecure for use over public networks.