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What is a network protocol?

In networking, a protocol is a set of rules for formatting and processing data. Network
protocols are like a common language for computers. The computers within a network may
use vastly different software and hardware; however, the use of protocols enables them to
communicate with each other regardless.

Standardized protocols are like a common language that computers can use, similar to how
two people from different parts of the world may not understand each other's native
languages, but they can communicate using a shared third language. If one computer uses
the Internet Protocol (IP) and a second computer does as well, they will be able to
communicate — just as the United Nations relies on its 6 official languages to
communicate amongst representatives from all over the globe. But if one computer uses IP
and the other does not know this protocol, they will be unable to communicate.

On the Internet, there are different protocols for different types of processes.
Protocols are often discussed in terms of which OSI model layer they belong to.

What are the layers of the OSI model?

The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is an abstract representation of how the
Internet works. It contains 7 layers, with each layer representing a different category
of networking functions.

Protocols make these networking functions possible. For instance, the Internet Protocol
(IP) is responsible for routing data by indicating where data packets* come from and what
their destination is. IP makes network-to-network communications possible. Hence, IP is
considered a network layer (layer 3) protocol.

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As another example, the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) ensures that the
transportation of packets of data across networks goes smoothly. Therefore, TCP is
considered a transport layer (layer 4) protocol.

*A packet is a small segment of data; all data sent over a network is divided into
packets.

Which protocols run on the network layer?

As described above, IP is a network layer protocol responsible for routing. But it is not
the only network layer protocol.

IPsec: Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) sets up encrypted, authenticated IP connections

over a virtual private network (VPN). Technically IPsec is not a protocol, but rather a
collection of protocols that includes the Encapsulating Security Protocol (ESP),
Authentication Header (AH), and Security Associations (SA).

ICMP: The Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) reports errors and provides status
updates. For example, if a router is unable to deliver a packet, it will send an ICMP
message back to the packet's source.

IGMP: The Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) sets up one-to-many network

connections. IGMP helps set up multicasting, meaning multiple computers can receive data
packets directed at one IP address.

What other protocols are used on the

Internet?
Some of the most important protocols to know are:

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TCP: As described above, TCP is a transport layer protocol that ensures reliable data
delivery. TCP is meant to be used with IP, and the two protocols are often referenced
together as TCP/IP.

HTTP: The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the foundation of the World Wide Web, the
Internet that most users interact with. It is used for transferring data between devices.
HTTP belongs to the application layer (layer 7), because it puts data into a format that
applications (e.g. a browser) can use directly, without further interpretation. The lower
layers of the OSI model are handled by a computer's operating system, not applications.

HTTPS: The problem with HTTP is that it is not encrypted — any attacker who intercepts an
HTTP message can read it. HTTPS (HTTP Secure) corrects this by encrypting HTTP messages.

TLS/SSL: Transport Layer Security (TLS) is the protocol HTTPS uses for encryption. TLS
used to be called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

UDP: The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a faster but less reliable alternative to TCP at
the transport layer. It is often used in services like video streaming and gaming, where
fast data delivery is paramount.

What protocols do routers use?

Network routers use certain protocols to discover the most efficient network paths to
other routers. These protocols are not used for transferring user data. Important network
routing protocols include:

BGP: The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is an application layer protocol networks use to

broadcast which IP addresses they control. This information allows routers to decide
which networks data packets should pass through on the way to their destinations.

EIGRP: The Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) identifies distances

between routers. EIGRP automatically updates each router's record of the best routes
(called a routing table) and broadcasts those updates to other routers within the
network.

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OSPF: The Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol calculates the most efficient network
routes based on a variety of factors, including distance and bandwidth.

RIP: The Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is an older routing protocol that identifies
distances between routers. RIP is an application layer protocol.

How are protocols used in cyber attacks?

Just as with any aspect of computing, attackers can exploit the way networking protocols
function to compromise or overwhelm systems. Many of these protocols are used in
distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. For example, in a SYN flood attack, an
attacker takes advantage of the way the TCP protocol works. They send SYN packets to
repeatedly initiate a TCP handshake with a server, until the server is unable to provide
service to legitimate users because its resources are tied up by all the phony TCP
connections.

Cloudflare offers a number of solutions for stopping these and other cyber
attacks. Cloudflare Magic Transit is able to mitigate attacks at layers 3, 4, and 7 of
the OSI model. In the example case of a SYN flood attack, Cloudflare handles the TCP
handshake process on the server's behalf so that the server's resources never become
overwhelmed by open TCP connections.

Types of Network Protocols and Their Uses:

Pre-requisites: Network Protocol

A network protocol is an accepted set of rules that govern data communication

between different devices in the network. It determines what is being
communicated, how it is being communicated, and when it is being communicated. It
permits connected devices to communicate with each other, irrespective of internal
and structural differences.
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Types of Protocols
The protocols can be broadly classified into three major categories-

1. Communication
2. Management
3. Security
1. Communication
Communication protocols are really important for the functioning of a network.
They are so crucial that it is not possible to have computer networks without
them. These protocols formally set out the rules and formats through which data is
transferred. These protocols handle syntax, semantics, error detection,
synchronization, and authentication.

Examples of Communication Protocols:

1. HTTP: It is a layer 7 protocol that is designed for transferring a
hypertext between two or more systems. HTTP works on a client-server model,
most of the data sharing over the web is done through using HTTP.
2. TCP: It layouts a reliable stream delivery by using sequenced
acknowledgment. It is a connection-oriented protocol i.e., it establishes a
connection between applications before sending any data. It is used for
communicating over a network. It has many applications such as emails, FTP,
streaming media, etc.
3. UDP: It is a connectionless protocol that lay-out a basic but unreliable
message service. It adds no flow control, reliability, or error-recovery
functions. UPD is functional in cases where reliability is not required. It
is used when we want faster transmission, for multicasting and broadcasting
connections, etc.
4. BGP: It is a routing protocol that controls how packets pass through the
router in an independent system one or more networks run by a single
organization and connect to different networks. It connects the endpoints
of a LAN with other LANs and it also connects endpoints in different LANs
to one another.

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5. ARP: ARP is a protocol that helps in mapping Logical addresses to the
Physical addresses acknowledged in a local network. For mapping and
maintaining a correlation between these logical and physical addresses a
table known as ARP cache is used.
6. IP: It is a protocol through which data is sent from one host to another
over the internet. It is used for addressing and routing data packets so
that they can reach their destination.
7. DHCP: it’s a protocol for network management and it’s used for the method
of automating the process of configuring devices on IP networks. A DHCP
server automatically assigns an IP address and various other
configurational changes to devices on a network so they can communicate
with other IP networks. it also allows devices to use various services such
as NTP, DNS, or any other protocol based on TCP or UDP.
2. Management 
These protocols assist in describing the procedures and policies that are used in
monitoring, maintaining, and managing the computer network. These protocols also
help in communicating these requirements across the network to ensure stable
communication. Network management protocols can also be used for troubleshooting
connections between a host and a client.

Examples of Management Protocols:

1. ICMP: It is a layer 3 protocol that is used by network devices to forward
operational information and error messages. It is used for reporting
congestions, network errors, diagnostic purposes, and timeouts.
2. SNMP: It is a layer 7 protocol that is used for managing nodes on an IP
network. There are three main components in the SNMP protocol i.e., SNMP
agent, SNMP manager, and managed device. SNMP agent has the local knowledge
of management details, it translates those details into a form that is
compatible with the SNMP manager. The manager presents data acquired from
SNMP agents, thus helping in monitoring network glitches, and network
performance, and troubleshooting them.

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3. Gopher: It is a type of file retrieval protocol that provides downloadable
files with some description for easy management, retrieving, and searching
of files. All the files are arranged on a remote computer in a stratified
manner. It is an old protocol and it is not much used nowadays.
4. FTP: FTP is a Client/server protocol that is used for moving files to or
from a host computer, it allows users to download files, programs, web
pages, and other things that are available on other services.
5. POP3: It is a protocol that a local mail client uses to get email messages
from a remote email server over a TCP/IP connection. Email servers hosted
by ISPs also use the POP3 protocol to hold and receive emails intended for
their users. Eventually, these users will use email client software to look
at their mailbox on the remote server and to download their emails. After
the email client downloads the emails, they are generally deleted from the
servers.
6. Telnet: It is a protocol that allows the user to connect to a remote
computer program and to use it i.e., it is designed for remote
connectivity. Telnet creates a connection between a host machine and a
remote endpoint to enable a remote session.
3. Security
These protocols secure the data in passage over a network. These protocols also
determine how the network secures data from any unauthorized attempts to extract
or review data. These protocols make sure that no unauthorized devices, users, or
services can access the network data. Primarily, these protocols depend on
encryption to secure data.

Examples of Security Protocols:

1. SSL: It is a network security protocol mainly used for protecting sensitive
data and securing internet connections. SSL allows both server-to-server
and client-to-server communication. All the data transferred through SSL is
encrypted thus stopping any unauthorized person from accessing it.

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2. HTTPS: It is the secured version of HTTP; this protocol ensures secure
communication between two computers where one sends the request through the
browser and the other fetches the data from the web server.
3. TLS: It is a security protocol designed for data security and privacy over
the internet, its functionality is encryption, checking the integrity of
data i.e., whether it has been tampered with or not, and Authentication. It
is generally used for encrypted communication between servers and web apps,
like a web browser loading a website, it can also be used for encryption of
messages, emails, and VoIP.