A method of increasing the apparent speed of a network by configuring routers so that they send faked confirmation signals in response to a workstations polling signal, which attempt to confirm that a distant server is still connected. Polling signals consume a great deal of network bandwidth, but this is unnecessary in today’s more reliable network environment. Spoofing enables network administrators to cut down on network overhead while still retaining an acceptable level of service.
A method of falsifying the IP address of an Internet server by altering the IP address recorded in the transmitted packets. The fact that is possible reflects an underlying security hole of prodigious magnitude in the current Internet protocol suite: The headers of data packets are transmitted in clear text with no network-level support for authenticating their true origin.
Malware spread through infected links or attachments, bypass network access controls, or redistribute traffic to conduct a denial-of-service attack. Spoofing is often the way a bad actor gains access to execute a large cyber-attack such as an advanced persistent threat or a man-in-the-middle attack
