Sniffing
Intercepting and reading network traffic.
3D Learning World
Interactive Visualizations
Topic Diagrams
Sniffing vs Man-in-the-Middle attacks
Sniffing is passive monitoring; MitM actively intercepts and can alter communications.
Sniffing
- Passive eavesdropping on network
- Monitors information traveling over a network
- Steals passwords, e-mail, files, reports
- Difficult to detect
Man-in-the-Middle (MitM)
- Active interception of communications
- Attacker controls the channel between two parties
- Can alter message contents
- Both parties believe they communicate directly
Sniffing is passive eavesdropping: a program monitors information traveling over a network and steals passwords, e-mail, files, and confidential reports. A man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack is more active: the attacker intercepts communications between two parties who believe they are talking directly, allowing the attacker to alter message contents.
Explanation: Sniffing is passive eavesdropping: a program monitors information traveling over a network and steals passwords, e-mail, files, and confidential reports. A man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack is more active: the attacker intercepts communications between two parties who believe they are talking directly, allowing the attacker to alter message contents.