sipadd

sipadd is a command-line utility used for manipulating SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) headers. SIP is a signaling protocol used for initiating, maintaining, and terminating real-time sessions that include voice and video calls, as well as collaboration sessions. The sipadd tool allows users to add new headers or modify existing ones within SIP messages. This is particularly useful in network testing, debugging, and for developing or analyzing SIP-based applications and devices.

The basic usage of sipadd involves specifying the input SIP message, the header name, and the header value. For example, a user might use sipadd to insert a custom header like "X-My-Custom-Header: some_value" into a SIP INVITE request. It can also be used to append values to existing headers or replace them entirely. The tool typically reads SIP messages from standard input or a specified file and writes the modified message to standard output. This makes it easily scriptable and integrable into automated workflows.

Common use cases for sipadd include injecting specific headers for testing purposes, such as simulating network conditions or validating how a SIP endpoint handles non-standard headers. It can also be employed to sanitize or anonymize SIP messages by removing sensitive information or adding necessary headers for compliance. While more sophisticated SIP analysis tools exist, sipadd provides a straightforward and accessible way to perform basic SIP header manipulation for straightforward tasks.