netstack: parse incoming packet headers up-front

Netstack has traditionally parsed headers on-demand as a packet moves up the
stack. This is conceptually simple and convenient, but incompatible with
iptables, where headers can be inspected and mangled before even a routing
decision is made.

This changes header parsing to happen early in the incoming packet path, as soon
as the NIC gets the packet from a link endpoint. Even if an invalid packet is
found (e.g. a TCP header of insufficient length), the packet is passed up the
stack for proper stats bookkeeping.

PiperOrigin-RevId: 315179302

7 files changed, 154 insertions, 128 deletions

diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/conntrack.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/conntrack.go
index d4053be08..05bf62788 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/conntrack.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/conntrack.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/tcpip"
-	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/tcpip/buffer"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/tcpip/hash/jenkins"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/tcpip/header"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcpconntrack"
@@ -147,44 +146,6 @@ type ConnTrackTable struct {
 	Seed uint32
 }
 
-// parseHeaders sets headers in the packet.
-func parseHeaders(pkt *PacketBuffer) {
-	newPkt := pkt.Clone()
-
-	// Set network header.
-	hdr, ok := newPkt.Data.PullUp(header.IPv4MinimumSize)
-	if !ok {
-		return
-	}
-	netHeader := header.IPv4(hdr)
-	newPkt.NetworkHeader = hdr
-	length := int(netHeader.HeaderLength())
-
-	// TODO(gvisor.dev/issue/170): Need to support for other
-	// protocols as well.
-	// Set transport header.
-	switch protocol := netHeader.TransportProtocol(); protocol {
-	case header.UDPProtocolNumber:
-		if newPkt.TransportHeader == nil {
-			h, ok := newPkt.Data.PullUp(length + header.UDPMinimumSize)
-			if !ok {
-				return
-			}
-			newPkt.TransportHeader = buffer.View(header.UDP(h[length:]))
-		}
-	case header.TCPProtocolNumber:
-		if newPkt.TransportHeader == nil {
-			h, ok := newPkt.Data.PullUp(length + header.TCPMinimumSize)
-			if !ok {
-				return
-			}
-			newPkt.TransportHeader = buffer.View(header.TCP(h[length:]))
-		}
-	}
-	pkt.NetworkHeader = newPkt.NetworkHeader
-	pkt.TransportHeader = newPkt.TransportHeader
-}
-
 // packetToTuple converts packet to a tuple in original direction.
 func packetToTuple(pkt *PacketBuffer, hook Hook) (connTrackTuple, *tcpip.Error) {
 	var tuple connTrackTuple
@@ -257,13 +218,6 @@ func (ct *ConnTrackTable) getTupleHash(tuple connTrackTuple) uint32 {
 // TODO(gvisor.dev/issue/170): Only TCP packets are supported. Need to support other
 // transport protocols.
 func (ct *ConnTrackTable) connTrackForPacket(pkt *PacketBuffer, hook Hook, createConn bool) (*connTrack, ctDirection) {
-	if hook == Prerouting {
-		// Headers will not be set in Prerouting.
-		// TODO(gvisor.dev/issue/170): Change this after parsing headers
-		// code is added.
-		parseHeaders(pkt)
-	}
-
 	var dir ctDirection
 	tuple, err := packetToTuple(pkt, hook)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder_test.go
index 63537aaad..a6546cef0 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ const (
 	// except where another value is explicitly used. It is chosen to match
 	// the MTU of loopback interfaces on linux systems.
 	fwdTestNetDefaultMTU = 65536
+
+	dstAddrOffset        = 0
+	srcAddrOffset        = 1
+	protocolNumberOffset = 2
 )
 
 // fwdTestNetworkEndpoint is a network-layer protocol endpoint.
@@ -69,15 +73,8 @@ func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) ID() *NetworkEndpointID {
 }
 
 func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *Route, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
-	// Consume the network header.
-	b, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(fwdTestNetHeaderLen)
-	if !ok {
-		return
-	}
-	pkt.Data.TrimFront(fwdTestNetHeaderLen)
-
 	// Dispatch the packet to the transport protocol.
-	f.dispatcher.DeliverTransportPacket(r, tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber(b[2]), pkt)
+	f.dispatcher.DeliverTransportPacket(r, tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber(pkt.NetworkHeader[protocolNumberOffset]), pkt)
 }
 
 func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) MaxHeaderLength() uint16 {
@@ -100,9 +97,9 @@ func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, params NetworkH
 	// Add the protocol's header to the packet and send it to the link
 	// endpoint.
 	b := pkt.Header.Prepend(fwdTestNetHeaderLen)
-	b[0] = r.RemoteAddress[0]
-	b[1] = f.id.LocalAddress[0]
-	b[2] = byte(params.Protocol)
+	b[dstAddrOffset] = r.RemoteAddress[0]
+	b[srcAddrOffset] = f.id.LocalAddress[0]
+	b[protocolNumberOffset] = byte(params.Protocol)
 
 	return f.ep.WritePacket(r, gso, fwdTestNetNumber, pkt)
 }
@@ -140,7 +137,17 @@ func (f *fwdTestNetworkProtocol) DefaultPrefixLen() int {
 }
 
 func (*fwdTestNetworkProtocol) ParseAddresses(v buffer.View) (src, dst tcpip.Address) {
-	return tcpip.Address(v[1:2]), tcpip.Address(v[0:1])
+	return tcpip.Address(v[srcAddrOffset : srcAddrOffset+1]), tcpip.Address(v[dstAddrOffset : dstAddrOffset+1])
+}
+
+func (*fwdTestNetworkProtocol) Parse(pkt *PacketBuffer) (tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, bool, bool) {
+	netHeader, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(fwdTestNetHeaderLen)
+	if !ok {
+		return 0, false, false
+	}
+	pkt.NetworkHeader = netHeader
+	pkt.Data.TrimFront(fwdTestNetHeaderLen)
+	return tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber(pkt.NetworkHeader[protocolNumberOffset]), true, true
 }
 
 func (f *fwdTestNetworkProtocol) NewEndpoint(nicID tcpip.NICID, addrWithPrefix tcpip.AddressWithPrefix, linkAddrCache LinkAddressCache, dispatcher TransportDispatcher, ep LinkEndpoint, _ *Stack) (NetworkEndpoint, *tcpip.Error) {
@@ -361,7 +368,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithStaticResolver(t *testing.T) {
 	// Inject an inbound packet to address 3 on NIC 1, and see if it is
 	// forwarded to NIC 2.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-	buf[0] = 3
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = 3
 	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -398,7 +405,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolver(t *testing.T) {
 	// Inject an inbound packet to address 3 on NIC 1, and see if it is
 	// forwarded to NIC 2.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-	buf[0] = 3
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = 3
 	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -429,7 +436,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithNoResolver(t *testing.T) {
 	// inject an inbound packet to address 3 on NIC 1, and see if it is
 	// forwarded to NIC 2.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-	buf[0] = 3
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = 3
 	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -459,7 +466,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverPartialTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	// Inject an inbound packet to address 4 on NIC 1. This packet should
 	// not be forwarded.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-	buf[0] = 4
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = 4
 	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -467,7 +474,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverPartialTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	// Inject an inbound packet to address 3 on NIC 1, and see if it is
 	// forwarded to NIC 2.
 	buf = buffer.NewView(30)
-	buf[0] = 3
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = 3
 	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -480,9 +487,8 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverPartialTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("packet not forwarded")
 	}
 
-	b := p.Pkt.Data.ToView()
-	if b[0] != 3 {
-		t.Fatalf("got b[0] = %d, want = 3", b[0])
+	if p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset] != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("got p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset] = %d, want = 3", p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset])
 	}
 
 	// Test that the address resolution happened correctly.
@@ -509,7 +515,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverTwoPackets(t *testing.T) {
 	// Inject two inbound packets to address 3 on NIC 1.
 	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
 		buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-		buf[0] = 3
+		buf[dstAddrOffset] = 3
 		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 			Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		})
@@ -524,9 +530,8 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverTwoPackets(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatal("packet not forwarded")
 		}
 
-		b := p.Pkt.Data.ToView()
-		if b[0] != 3 {
-			t.Fatalf("got b[0] = %d, want = 3", b[0])
+		if p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset] != 3 {
+			t.Fatalf("got p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset] = %d, want = 3", p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset])
 		}
 
 		// Test that the address resolution happened correctly.
@@ -554,7 +559,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverManyPackets(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 0; i < maxPendingPacketsPerResolution+5; i++ {
 		// Inject inbound 'maxPendingPacketsPerResolution + 5' packets on NIC 1.
 		buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-		buf[0] = 3
+		buf[dstAddrOffset] = 3
 		// Set the packet sequence number.
 		binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(buf[fwdTestNetHeaderLen:], uint16(i))
 		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
@@ -571,14 +576,18 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverManyPackets(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatal("packet not forwarded")
 		}
 
-		b := p.Pkt.Data.ToView()
-		if b[0] != 3 {
-			t.Fatalf("got b[0] = %d, want = 3", b[0])
+		if b := p.Pkt.Header.View(); b[dstAddrOffset] != 3 {
+			t.Fatalf("got b[dstAddrOffset] = %d, want = 3", b[dstAddrOffset])
+		}
+		seqNumBuf, ok := p.Pkt.Data.PullUp(2) // The sequence number is a uint16 (2 bytes).
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("p.Pkt.Data is too short to hold a sequence number: %d", p.Pkt.Data.Size())
 		}
-		// The first 5 packets should not be forwarded so the the
-		// sequemnce number should start with 5.
+
+		// The first 5 packets should not be forwarded so the sequence number should
+		// start with 5.
 		want := uint16(i + 5)
-		if n := binary.BigEndian.Uint16(b[fwdTestNetHeaderLen:]); n != want {
+		if n := binary.BigEndian.Uint16(seqNumBuf); n != want {
 			t.Fatalf("got the packet #%d, want = #%d", n, want)
 		}
 
@@ -609,7 +618,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverManyResolutions(t *testing.T) {
 		// Each packet has a different destination address (3 to
 		// maxPendingResolutions + 7).
 		buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-		buf[0] = byte(3 + i)
+		buf[dstAddrOffset] = byte(3 + i)
 		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 			Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		})
@@ -626,9 +635,8 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverManyResolutions(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// The first 5 packets (address 3 to 7) should not be forwarded
 		// because their address resolutions are interrupted.
-		b := p.Pkt.Data.ToView()
-		if b[0] < 8 {
-			t.Fatalf("got b[0] = %d, want b[0] >= 8", b[0])
+		if p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset] < 8 {
+			t.Fatalf("got p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset] = %d, want p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset] >= 8", p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset])
 		}
 
 		// Test that the address resolution happened correctly.
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables_targets.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables_targets.go
index 36cc6275d..92e31643e 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables_targets.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables_targets.go
@@ -98,11 +98,6 @@ func (rt RedirectTarget) Action(pkt *PacketBuffer, ct *ConnTrackTable, hook Hook
 		return RuleAccept, 0
 	}
 
-	// Set network header.
-	if hook == Prerouting {
-		parseHeaders(pkt)
-	}
-
 	// Drop the packet if network and transport header are not set.
 	if pkt.NetworkHeader == nil || pkt.TransportHeader == nil {
 		return RuleDrop, 0
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic.go
index 6664aea06..d756ae6f5 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic.go
@@ -1212,12 +1212,21 @@ func (n *NIC) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcp
 		n.stack.stats.IP.PacketsReceived.Increment()
 	}
 
-	netHeader, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(netProto.MinimumPacketSize())
+	// Parse headers.
+	transProtoNum, hasTransportHdr, ok := netProto.Parse(pkt)
 	if !ok {
+		// The packet is too small to contain a network header.
 		n.stack.stats.MalformedRcvdPackets.Increment()
 		return
 	}
-	src, dst := netProto.ParseAddresses(netHeader)
+	if hasTransportHdr {
+		// Parse the transport header if present.
+		if state, ok := n.stack.transportProtocols[transProtoNum]; ok {
+			state.proto.Parse(pkt)
+		}
+	}
+
+	src, dst := netProto.ParseAddresses(pkt.NetworkHeader)
 
 	if n.stack.handleLocal && !n.isLoopback() && n.getRef(protocol, src) != nil {
 		// The source address is one of our own, so we never should have gotten a
@@ -1301,8 +1310,18 @@ func (n *NIC) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcp
 
 func (n *NIC) forwardPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	// TODO(b/143425874) Decrease the TTL field in forwarded packets.
-	if linkHeaderLen := int(n.linkEP.MaxHeaderLength()); linkHeaderLen != 0 {
-		pkt.Header = buffer.NewPrependable(linkHeaderLen)
+	// TODO(b/151227689): Avoid copying the packet when forwarding. We can do this
+	// by having lower layers explicity write each header instead of just
+	// pkt.Header.
+
+	// pkt may have set its NetworkHeader and TransportHeader. If we're
+	// forwarding, we'll have to copy them into pkt.Header.
+	pkt.Header = buffer.NewPrependable(int(n.linkEP.MaxHeaderLength()) + len(pkt.NetworkHeader) + len(pkt.TransportHeader))
+	if n := copy(pkt.Header.Prepend(len(pkt.TransportHeader)), pkt.TransportHeader); n != len(pkt.TransportHeader) {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("copied %d bytes, expected %d", n, len(pkt.TransportHeader)))
+	}
+	if n := copy(pkt.Header.Prepend(len(pkt.NetworkHeader)), pkt.NetworkHeader); n != len(pkt.NetworkHeader) {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("copied %d bytes, expected %d", n, len(pkt.NetworkHeader)))
 	}
 
 	// WritePacket takes ownership of pkt, calculate numBytes first.
@@ -1333,13 +1352,31 @@ func (n *NIC) DeliverTransportPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolN
 	// validly formed.
 	n.stack.demux.deliverRawPacket(r, protocol, pkt)
 
-	transHeader, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(transProto.MinimumPacketSize())
-	if !ok {
+	// TransportHeader is nil only when pkt is an ICMP packet or was reassembled
+	// from fragments.
+	if pkt.TransportHeader == nil {
+		// TODO(gvisor.dev/issue/170): ICMP packets don't have their
+		// TransportHeader fields set. See icmp/protocol.go:protocol.Parse for a
+		// full explanation.
+		if protocol == header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber || protocol == header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber {
+			transHeader, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(transProto.MinimumPacketSize())
+			if !ok {
+				n.stack.stats.MalformedRcvdPackets.Increment()
+				return
+			}
+			pkt.TransportHeader = transHeader
+		} else {
+			// This is either a bad packet or was re-assembled from fragments.
+			transProto.Parse(pkt)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(pkt.TransportHeader) < transProto.MinimumPacketSize() {
 		n.stack.stats.MalformedRcvdPackets.Increment()
 		return
 	}
 
-	srcPort, dstPort, err := transProto.ParsePorts(transHeader)
+	srcPort, dstPort, err := transProto.ParsePorts(pkt.TransportHeader)
 	if err != nil {
 		n.stack.stats.MalformedRcvdPackets.Increment()
 		return
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
index 94f177841..5cbc946b6 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
@@ -168,6 +168,11 @@ type TransportProtocol interface {
 
 	// Wait waits for any worker goroutines owned by the protocol to stop.
 	Wait()
+
+	// Parse sets pkt.TransportHeader and trims pkt.Data appropriately. It does
+	// neither and returns false if pkt.Data is too small, i.e. pkt.Data.Size() <
+	// MinimumPacketSize()
+	Parse(pkt *PacketBuffer) (ok bool)
 }
 
 // TransportDispatcher contains the methods used by the network stack to deliver
@@ -313,6 +318,14 @@ type NetworkProtocol interface {
 
 	// Wait waits for any worker goroutines owned by the protocol to stop.
 	Wait()
+
+	// Parse sets pkt.NetworkHeader and trims pkt.Data appropriately. It
+	// returns:
+	// - The encapsulated protocol, if present.
+	// - Whether there is an encapsulated transport protocol payload (e.g. ARP
+	//   does not encapsulate anything).
+	// - Whether pkt.Data was large enough to parse and set pkt.NetworkHeader.
+	Parse(pkt *PacketBuffer) (proto tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, hasTransportHdr bool, ok bool)
 }
 
 // NetworkDispatcher contains the methods used by the network stack to deliver
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack_test.go
index f6ddc3ced..ffef9bc2c 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack_test.go
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ const (
 	// where another value is explicitly used. It is chosen to match the MTU
 	// of loopback interfaces on linux systems.
 	defaultMTU = 65536
+
+	dstAddrOffset        = 0
+	srcAddrOffset        = 1
+	protocolNumberOffset = 2
 )
 
 // fakeNetworkEndpoint is a network-layer protocol endpoint. It counts sent and
@@ -94,26 +98,24 @@ func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuff
 	// Increment the received packet count in the protocol descriptor.
 	f.proto.packetCount[int(f.id.LocalAddress[0])%len(f.proto.packetCount)]++
 
-	// Consume the network header.
-	b, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(fakeNetHeaderLen)
-	if !ok {
-		return
-	}
-	pkt.Data.TrimFront(fakeNetHeaderLen)
-
 	// Handle control packets.
-	if b[2] == uint8(fakeControlProtocol) {
+	if pkt.NetworkHeader[protocolNumberOffset] == uint8(fakeControlProtocol) {
 		nb, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(fakeNetHeaderLen)
 		if !ok {
 			return
 		}
 		pkt.Data.TrimFront(fakeNetHeaderLen)
-		f.dispatcher.DeliverTransportControlPacket(tcpip.Address(nb[1:2]), tcpip.Address(nb[0:1]), fakeNetNumber, tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber(nb[2]), stack.ControlPortUnreachable, 0, pkt)
+		f.dispatcher.DeliverTransportControlPacket(
+			tcpip.Address(nb[srcAddrOffset:srcAddrOffset+1]),
+			tcpip.Address(nb[dstAddrOffset:dstAddrOffset+1]),
+			fakeNetNumber,
+			tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber(nb[protocolNumberOffset]),
+			stack.ControlPortUnreachable, 0, pkt)
 		return
 	}
 
 	// Dispatch the packet to the transport protocol.
-	f.dispatcher.DeliverTransportPacket(r, tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber(b[2]), pkt)
+	f.dispatcher.DeliverTransportPacket(r, tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber(pkt.NetworkHeader[protocolNumberOffset]), pkt)
 }
 
 func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) MaxHeaderLength() uint16 {
@@ -138,18 +140,13 @@ func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params
 
 	// Add the protocol's header to the packet and send it to the link
 	// endpoint.
-	b := pkt.Header.Prepend(fakeNetHeaderLen)
-	b[0] = r.RemoteAddress[0]
-	b[1] = f.id.LocalAddress[0]
-	b[2] = byte(params.Protocol)
+	pkt.NetworkHeader = pkt.Header.Prepend(fakeNetHeaderLen)
+	pkt.NetworkHeader[dstAddrOffset] = r.RemoteAddress[0]
+	pkt.NetworkHeader[srcAddrOffset] = f.id.LocalAddress[0]
+	pkt.NetworkHeader[protocolNumberOffset] = byte(params.Protocol)
 
 	if r.Loop&stack.PacketLoop != 0 {
-		views := make([]buffer.View, 1, 1+len(pkt.Data.Views()))
-		views[0] = pkt.Header.View()
-		views = append(views, pkt.Data.Views()...)
-		f.HandlePacket(r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
-			Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views),
-		})
+		f.HandlePacket(r, pkt)
 	}
 	if r.Loop&stack.PacketOut == 0 {
 		return nil
@@ -205,7 +202,7 @@ func (f *fakeNetworkProtocol) PacketCount(intfAddr byte) int {
 }
 
 func (*fakeNetworkProtocol) ParseAddresses(v buffer.View) (src, dst tcpip.Address) {
-	return tcpip.Address(v[1:2]), tcpip.Address(v[0:1])
+	return tcpip.Address(v[srcAddrOffset : srcAddrOffset+1]), tcpip.Address(v[dstAddrOffset : dstAddrOffset+1])
 }
 
 func (f *fakeNetworkProtocol) NewEndpoint(nicID tcpip.NICID, addrWithPrefix tcpip.AddressWithPrefix, linkAddrCache stack.LinkAddressCache, dispatcher stack.TransportDispatcher, ep stack.LinkEndpoint, _ *stack.Stack) (stack.NetworkEndpoint, *tcpip.Error) {
@@ -247,6 +244,17 @@ func (*fakeNetworkProtocol) Close() {}
 // Wait implements TransportProtocol.Wait.
 func (*fakeNetworkProtocol) Wait() {}
 
+// Parse implements TransportProtocol.Parse.
+func (*fakeNetworkProtocol) Parse(pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) (tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, bool, bool) {
+	hdr, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(fakeNetHeaderLen)
+	if !ok {
+		return 0, false, false
+	}
+	pkt.NetworkHeader = hdr
+	pkt.Data.TrimFront(fakeNetHeaderLen)
+	return tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber(hdr[protocolNumberOffset]), true, true
+}
+
 func fakeNetFactory() stack.NetworkProtocol {
 	return &fakeNetworkProtocol{}
 }
@@ -292,7 +300,7 @@ func TestNetworkReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 
 	// Make sure packet with wrong address is not delivered.
-	buf[0] = 3
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = 3
 	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -304,7 +312,7 @@ func TestNetworkReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Make sure packet is delivered to first endpoint.
-	buf[0] = 1
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = 1
 	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -316,7 +324,7 @@ func TestNetworkReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Make sure packet is delivered to second endpoint.
-	buf[0] = 2
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = 2
 	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -982,7 +990,7 @@ func TestAddressRemoval(t *testing.T) {
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 
 	// Send and receive packets, and verify they are received.
-	buf[0] = localAddrByte
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = localAddrByte
 	testRecv(t, fakeNet, localAddrByte, ep, buf)
 	testSendTo(t, s, remoteAddr, ep, nil)
 
@@ -1032,7 +1040,7 @@ func TestAddressRemovalWithRouteHeld(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Send and receive packets, and verify they are received.
-	buf[0] = localAddrByte
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = localAddrByte
 	testRecv(t, fakeNet, localAddrByte, ep, buf)
 	testSend(t, r, ep, nil)
 	testSendTo(t, s, remoteAddr, ep, nil)
@@ -1114,7 +1122,7 @@ func TestEndpointExpiration(t *testing.T) {
 
 				fakeNet := s.NetworkProtocolInstance(fakeNetNumber).(*fakeNetworkProtocol)
 				buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-				buf[0] = localAddrByte
+				buf[dstAddrOffset] = localAddrByte
 
 				if promiscuous {
 					if err := s.SetPromiscuousMode(nicID, true); err != nil {
@@ -1277,7 +1285,7 @@ func TestPromiscuousMode(t *testing.T) {
 	// Write a packet, and check that it doesn't get delivered as we don't
 	// have a matching endpoint.
 	const localAddrByte byte = 0x01
-	buf[0] = localAddrByte
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = localAddrByte
 	testFailingRecv(t, fakeNet, localAddrByte, ep, buf)
 
 	// Set promiscuous mode, then check that packet is delivered.
@@ -1658,7 +1666,7 @@ func TestAddressRangeAcceptsMatchingPacket(t *testing.T) {
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 
 	const localAddrByte byte = 0x01
-	buf[0] = localAddrByte
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = localAddrByte
 	subnet, err := tcpip.NewSubnet(tcpip.Address("\x00"), tcpip.AddressMask("\xF0"))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("NewSubnet failed:", err)
@@ -1766,7 +1774,7 @@ func TestAddressRangeRejectsNonmatchingPacket(t *testing.T) {
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 
 	const localAddrByte byte = 0x01
-	buf[0] = localAddrByte
+	buf[dstAddrOffset] = localAddrByte
 	subnet, err := tcpip.NewSubnet(tcpip.Address("\x10"), tcpip.AddressMask("\xF0"))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("NewSubnet failed:", err)
@@ -2344,7 +2352,7 @@ func TestNICForwarding(t *testing.T) {
 
 			// Send a packet to dstAddr.
 			buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-			buf[0] = dstAddr[0]
+			buf[dstAddrOffset] = dstAddr[0]
 			ep1.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_test.go
index cb350ead3..ad61c09d6 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_test.go
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ func (f *fakeTransportEndpoint) Write(p tcpip.Payloader, opts tcpip.WriteOptions
 		return 0, nil, tcpip.ErrNoRoute
 	}
 
-	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(f.route.MaxHeaderLength()))
+	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(f.route.MaxHeaderLength()) + fakeTransHeaderLen)
+	hdr.Prepend(fakeTransHeaderLen)
 	v, err := p.FullPayload()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, nil, err
@@ -324,6 +325,17 @@ func (*fakeTransportProtocol) Close() {}
 // Wait implements TransportProtocol.Wait.
 func (*fakeTransportProtocol) Wait() {}
 
+// Parse implements TransportProtocol.Parse.
+func (*fakeTransportProtocol) Parse(pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
+	hdr, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(fakeTransHeaderLen)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	pkt.TransportHeader = hdr
+	pkt.Data.TrimFront(fakeTransHeaderLen)
+	return true
+}
+
 func fakeTransFactory() stack.TransportProtocol {
 	return &fakeTransportProtocol{}
 }
@@ -642,11 +654,10 @@ func TestTransportForwarding(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("Response packet not forwarded")
 	}
 
-	hdrs := p.Pkt.Data.ToView()
-	if dst := hdrs[0]; dst != 3 {
+	if dst := p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[0]; dst != 3 {
 		t.Errorf("Response packet has incorrect destination addresss: got = %d, want = 3", dst)
 	}
-	if src := hdrs[1]; src != 1 {
+	if src := p.Pkt.NetworkHeader[1]; src != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("Response packet has incorrect source addresss: got = %d, want = 3", src)
 	}
 }