As ARP is a necessary companion protocol for IP in Ethernet network environments, the robustness of ARP implementations is fundamental to the overall robustness of IPv4 and related protocol stack implementations. A well-functioning network protocol stack is the cornerstone of any modern operating system, device or application. For this reason, ARP message handling inside the network protocol stack must be verified and proven against protocol attacks. Robustness shortcomings in core network protocol implementations result in undesirable network downtime and denial-of-service conditions. Entire networks may be rendered inaccessible to their users or customers. For this reason it is absolutely vital to gauge the level of security in all components that may be exposed to external intrusion attempts. This information is invaluable in mitigating threats and performing informed risk analysis. To guarantee the continuous and error-free operation of the current and future networks, the dependability of various ARP protocol implementations must be verified.
Used specifications
| Specification | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EDSA-402 | ISA Security Compliance Institute – Embedded Device Security Assurance – Testing the robustness of implementations of the IETF ARP protocol over IPv4 – Version 2.31 | |
| RFC791 | Internet Protocol | |
| RFC826 | ARP | Protocol for determining a network host’s link layer or hardware address when only its Internet Layer (IP) or Network Layer address is known. |
| RFC894 | A Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams over Ethernet Networks | |
| RFC903 | RARP | This RFC suggests a method for workstations to dynamically find their protocol address (e.g., their Internet Address), when they know only their hardware address (e.g., their attached physical network address). |
| RFC1042 | A Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams over IEEE 802 Networks | |
| RFC1122 | Requirements for Internet Hosts u002du002d Communication Layers | |
| RFC1931 | DRARP | Describes extensions to the Reverse Address Resolution Protocol (RARP [2]) and called Dynamic RARP (DRARP, pronounced D-RARP). |
| RFC2390 | InARP | Describes additions to ARP that will allow a station to request a protocol address corresponding to a given hardware address. |
| RFC3927 | Dynamic Configuration of IPv4 Link-Local Addresses | Only the parts which describe ARP Probe and Gratuitous ARP are supported. |
| RFC5494 | IANA Allocation Guidelines for the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) | Specifies the IANA guidelines [RFC5226] for allocating new values for various fields in the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) [RFC826]. |