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.
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
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
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).
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.
