---
title: Reject source-routed packets
description: Why source-routed packets should be rejected on the host system, because they let a sender choose the route and can redirect traffic to the wrong system.
component: pingdirectory
version: 10.2
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_security_guide:pd_sec_reject_source_routed_packets
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.1/pingdirectory_security_guide/pd_sec_addl_mech_secure_comm.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: 2023-09-13T00:00:00Z
---

# Reject source-routed packets

Source-routed packets allow a packet's sender to specify which route it should take to its destination.

An attacker might be able to use this capability to trick the client into communicating with the wrong system. Source-routed packets are rarely used for legitimate communication.