Editing IRC (section)

===Attacks===
Because IRC connections may be unencrypted and typically span long time periods, they are an attractive target for [[Denial-of-service attack|DoS/DDoS attackers]] and [[Hacker (computer security)|hackers]]. Because of this, careful security policy is necessary to ensure that an IRC network is not susceptible to an attack such as a [[Internet Relay Chat takeover|takeover]] war. IRC networks may also [[K-line (IRC)|K-line]] or [[G-line]] users or servers that have a harming effect.

Some IRC servers support [[Transport Layer Security|SSL/TLS]] connections for security purposes. This helps stop the use of [[packet sniffer]] programs to obtain the passwords of IRC users, but has little use beyond this scope due to the public nature of IRC channels. SSL connections require both client and server support (that may require the user to install SSL binaries and IRC client specific patches or modules on their computers). Some networks also use SSL for server-to-server connections, and provide a special channel flag (such as <code>+S</code>) to only allow SSL-connected users on the channel, while disallowing operator identification in clear text, to better utilize the advantages that SSL provides.<ref>{{cite web
 | url        = http://esper.net/help.php
 | title      = Getting Help on EsperNet
 | publisher  = The EsperNet IRC Network
 | access-date = 31 July 2012
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 | url        = http://www.dal.net/news/shownews.php?id=67
 | title      = New Feature: SSL For Users
 | author     = brandon
 | date       = 18 May 2010
| publisher  = DALnet
 | access-date = 31 July 2012
}}</ref>

IRC served as an early laboratory for many kinds of Internet attacks, such as using fake [[Internet Control Message Protocol|ICMP]] unreachable messages to break [[Transmission Control Protocol|TCP]]-based IRC connections ([[Nuke (computer)|nuking]]) to annoy users or facilitate [[Internet Relay Chat takeover|takeovers]].