Which TCP flag is indicated by the acronym "SYN"?

The acronym "SYN" stands for "Synchronization." This flag is used in the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to initiate a handshake process between two devices, which is fundamental for establishing a TCP connection. When a device wants to establish a connection with another, it sends a packet with the SYN flag set to indicate that it is initiating the connection and synchronize sequence numbers for that session.

When the receiving device acknowledges the SYN packet, it typically responds with a SYN-ACK packet, indicating that it acknowledges the received request and also wishes to synchronize with the sender. This two-step process is crucial for ensuring that both parties have reliable tracking of the data they will be exchanging during the connection.

Understanding the role of the SYN flag is vital in network communication, as it is part of the TCP three-way handshake process, which includes sending a SYN, receiving a SYN-ACK, and sending an ACK in response. This process not only establishes the connection but also helps in maintaining communication integrity, efficiency, and flow control throughout the data transmission.