TCP Client Self-Connect (2013)
13 days ago
- #TCP
- #Networking
- #Linux
- A telnet client can connect to itself when the source port matches the destination port (50000 in this example).
- This behavior is due to the TCP specification supporting 'simultaneous open', allowing a connection to be established even if it's the same endpoint.
- The Linux kernel assigns ephemeral ports sequentially, which can lead to a client attempting to connect to its own port.
- The TCP state machine transitions through SYN_SENT, SYN_RECEIVED, and finally ESTABLISHED during a self-connect scenario.
- Self-connect requires specific conditions: using ephemeral ports for servers, client and server on the same IP, and occurring during the initial handshake phase.
- Avoid using ephemeral ports for servers to prevent unpredictable behavior.