Book Image

Hands-On Network Programming with C

By : Lewis Van Winkle
Book Image

Hands-On Network Programming with C

By: Lewis Van Winkle

Overview of this book

Network programming enables processes to communicate with each other over a computer network, but it is a complex task that requires programming with multiple libraries and protocols. With its support for third-party libraries and structured documentation, C is an ideal language to write network programs. Complete with step-by-step explanations of essential concepts and practical examples, this C network programming book begins with the fundamentals of Internet Protocol, TCP, and UDP. You’ll explore client-server and peer-to-peer models for information sharing and connectivity with remote computers. The book will also cover HTTP and HTTPS for communicating between your browser and website, and delve into hostname resolution with DNS, which is crucial to the functioning of the modern web. As you advance, you’ll gain insights into asynchronous socket programming and streams, and explore debugging and error handling. Finally, you’ll study network monitoring and implement security best practices. By the end of this book, you’ll have experience of working with client-server applications and be able to implement new network programs in C. The code in this book is compatible with the older C99 version as well as the latest C18 and C++17 standards. You’ll work with robust, reliable, and secure code that is portable across operating systems, including Winsock sockets for Windows and POSIX sockets for Linux and macOS.
Table of Contents (26 chapters)
Title Page
Dedication
About Packt
Contributors
Preface
Index

Chapter 12, Network Monitoring and Security


  1. Which tool would you use to test the reachability of a target system?

The ping tool is useful to test reachability.

  1. Which tool lists the routers to a destination system?

The traceroute (tracert on Windows) tool will show the network path to a target system.

  1. What are raw sockets used for?

Raw sockets allow the programmer to specify directly what goes into a network packet. They provide lower-level access than TCP and UDP sockets, and can be used to implement additional protocols, such as ICMP.

  1. Which tools list the open TCP sockets on your system?

The netstat tool can be used to show open connections on your local system.

  1. What is one of the biggest concerns with security for networked C programs?

When programming networked applications in C, special care must be given to memory safety. Even a small mistake could allow an attacker to compromise your program.