What are RAW sockets? (in Computer networks)?

Question

What are RAW sockets? (in Computer networks)?

Answer 1

Information is passed over networks (internet) in packets.  Packets have a header on them that describe them including where it came from and where its going, kind of like a letter in an envelope.

Normally when you send data over a network your computer creates these packets (the letters) and their headers (the envelopes) automatically.

A raw socket allows you to create these yourself.  Typically this is done to create misleading headers (envelopes).  With a raw socket it would be possible to send a packet to someone and have it appear as if it didn't come from you.  This would be like writing the wrong return address on an envelope to make it look like someone else sent it.

Answer 2

Raw socket is a computer networking term used to describe a socket that allows access to packet headers on incoming and outgoing packets. Raw sockets are usually used at the transport or network layers.

Usually raw sockets always receive packets with the header included (as opposed to non-raw sockets, which strip the header and receive just the payload). Whether or not a header is automatically prepended to outgoing packets is usually a configurable socket option.

Raw sockets are not a programming language-level construct, they are part of the underlying operating system's networking API. Most socket interfaces support raw sockets.