This chapter provides a quick introduction of Winsock 2 API. Topics include Windows Socket 2.2.2 API specification; Winsock 2 API DLL - WS2_32.DLL; Winsock SPI basic service provider - MSWSOCK.DLL; Winsock SPI LSP (Layered Service Provider); LSP related spyware trojans; LSP stack repair tool - LSP-Fix.
Winsock 2.2.2 is the latest version of Winsock (Windows Socket) API specification that
defines how network applications should access underlying TCP/IP services.
Windows XP systems uses Winsock 3 DLL files: WS2_32.DLL, WSOCK32.DLLm, and WINSOCK.DLL.
Winsock API uses SPI (Service Provider Interface) to organize underlying TCP/IP service providers
as a stack of layers called LSP (Layered Service Provider)
mswsock.dll is the Microsoft implementation of SPI as the basic TCP/IP service provider
Winsock's LSP design can be attacked by spyware to install trajon DLL files to scan
your network traffic for your personal information like passwords.
Winsock's LSP stack entries can be corrupted. Repairing LSP stack requires tools like LSP-Fix.
