Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is a method for assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses permanently or to individual computers in an organization's network. DHCP lets a network administrator supervise and distribute IP addresses from a central point and automatically sends a new IP address when a computer is plugged into a different place in the network. DHCP is an unauthenticated protocol : When connecting to a network, the user is not required to provide credentials in order to obtain a lease. Malicious users with physical access to the DHCP-enabled network can instigate a denial-of-service attack on DHCP servers by requesting many leases from the server, thereby reducing the number of leases that are available to other DHCP clients.