More tech slang I’ve encountered today: #Linux 👾
In networking, a “Martian” address or packet refers to an IP address or packet that is considered invalid or non-routable on the public network. It typically refers to source or destination addresses that should not appear on the network or are reserved for special use by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). These addresses are often associated with misconfigurations or spoofing.
Specifically:
• A Martian packet is an IP packet seen that contains a source or destination address that is reserved or invalid, either because it cannot exist on the public internet or is misrouted within a network.
• Martian packets can arise due to IP address spoofing, network equipment malfunctions, or incorrect host configurations.
• In Linux, receiving a Martian means the kernel sees a packet on a network interface whose source address is expected on a different interface according to routing tables.
• The term “Martian” derives from the idea of a packet seeming to come “from Mars,” meaning it doesn’t logically belong to the network. 🛸 👽