Over time, the realm of
hacking has evolved into a complex landscape. Packet sniffing stands out as one
of the techniques malicious actors employ to infiltrate networks with the guise
of trusted users, enabling exploration and causing long-term damage. Network
sniffing entails the interception of all data packets traversing a network,
achieved through software programs or hardware devices.
What is Packet Sniffing?
Packet sniffing is the practice of capturing and analyzing network traffic. It can be used for various purposes, such as troubleshooting network problems, detecting security threats, and monitoring network activity.
Packet sniffing tools can
be either software or hardware-based. Software packet sniffers are typically
installed on a computer and capture traffic that is passing through the
computer's network interface. Hardware packet sniffers are typically installed
on a network switch or hub and capture traffic that is passing through the
switch or hub. Here are some examples of packet sniffing tools:
Software
● Wireshark
● Tcpdump
● BetterCAP
● WinDump
● EtherApe
Hardware
● Network Interface Cards (NICs) with promiscuous mode enabled
What is a Packet Sniffing Attack?
A
packet sniffing attack, also known as packet sniffing or network sniffing, is a
cybersecurity attack where an attacker intercepts and examines data packets as
they travel across a network. These data packets can contain various types of
information, such as email content, login credentials, website requests, and
other sensitive data. Packet sniffing attacks are split into two categories.
● Passive
Sniffing: Passive sniffing is the
most common type of packet sniffing attack. Attackers passively monitor network
traffic without actively sending packets themselves. They capture data packets
as they traverse the network.
● Active
Sniffing: Active sniffing involves
the attacker actively injecting packets into the network to elicit responses
from other devices. These attacks include:
1.
Spoofing
attacks
2. DHCP attacks
3. DNS poisoning
How to Prevent Sniffing Attacks?
There are numerous methods
for protecting a network from sniffing attacks.
Some vital factors
include:
● Encrypt sensitive data in transit and at rest
to make it unreadable to attackers.
● Secure websites and applications with HTTPS to
encrypt data during transmission.
● Isolate sensitive data on separate network
segments to limit exposure.
● Enforce strict access controls and
authentication mechanisms to restrict unauthorized access.
● Keep systems, software, and firmware up-to-date to patch known vulnerabilities.
● Encourage strong, unique passwords and consider multi-factor authentication (MFA).
How can InfosecTrain Help?
Sniffing methodologies
pose significant risks to both individuals and organizations. Understanding
what sniffing is and how it works is crucial for prevention. If you want to
become an expert in protecting organizations from security risks like sniffing
attacks, consider InfosecTrain's Certified
Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification training course. This course is designed to equip individuals
with the skills and knowledge to defend systems and networks against various
threats, including sniffing attacks.
