The checksum is not a keyed hash - it's a standard, so any malicious node that modified the header would just recalculate the hash and no one would be the wiser.
It was not meant to stop malicious activity - just random bit errors. As for "Why drop it?" - why not. J L2 already does it, L4 already does it . back in the day, presumably this was a performance benefit. Now it is one less ASIC (or fewer lines of code burned into an ASIC) needed J. Thanks! /TJ <http://facebook.tjevans.net/> From: Rahim Choudhary [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 5:04 PM To: ipv6@ietf.org Subject: Checksum in IPv6 header This may be a matter that is common knowledge to this list. But please forgive me for asking. What were the reasons that the IPv6 working group decided not to include a checksum field for the IPv6 packet Header? Does it have no security impact to omit the checksum? _____ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51734/*http:/tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/ca tegory.php?category=shopping> them fast with Yahoo! Search.
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