{"id":15809,"date":"2023-12-06T13:31:21","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T13:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/?p=15809"},"modified":"2026-02-12T14:07:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T14:07:20","slug":"what-are-sniffing-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Sniffing Attacks?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A modern tool of the present age cyber criminals is a packet sniffer, a piece of software or hardware. They use packet sniffers to capture data traffic during the flow of data packets through the computer network. Sniffing attack<strong> <\/strong>refers to the unauthoritative monitoring and interception of network traffic. Both hardware and software applications are available for this kind of <a href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/it-governance\/6-cybersecurity-threats-to-look-out-for-in-2021\/\">cyber attack<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Packet sniffers read sensitive data like unencrypted financial information, email messages, and login credentials. So, there is nothing fishy about email phishing and network sniffing is one of the real reasons behind it. There are even incidents where hackers use this technique to inject harmful codes into data packets thereby, attempting to hijack the concerned computer. DNS poisoning, spoofing, DHCP, and JavaScript card attacks are prime examples.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dtkh0ta1d\/image\/upload\/v1770699692\/Sniffing-attacks_xjnziy.webp\" alt=\"Sniffing Attacks, cyber attack\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sniffing Attacks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Jump ahead to<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d73b6572913\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #495393;color:#495393\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #495393;color:#495393\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d73b6572913\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Two_Kinds_Of_Sniffing_Attacks\" >Two Kinds Of Sniffing Attacks<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Passive_sniffing\" >Passive sniffing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Active_sniffing\" >Active sniffing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#What_Damages_Do_Sniffing_Attacks_Cause\" >What Damages Do Sniffing Attacks Cause?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#How_To_Detect_Sniffing_Attacks\" >How To Detect Sniffing Attacks?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Ping_method\" >Ping method<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#ARP_method\" >ARP method<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Local_host\" >Local host<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Latency_method\" >Latency method<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#ARP_watch\" >ARP watch<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Intrusion_detection\" >Intrusion detection<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#How_To_Prevent_Sniffing_Attacks\" >How To Prevent Sniffing Attacks?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Network_monitoring\" >Network monitoring<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Two-factor_authentication\" >Two-factor authentication<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Password_strength\" >Password strength<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Email_attachments\" >Email attachments<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Firewall_protection\" >Firewall protection<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Device_update\" >Device update<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Secure_networks\" >Secure networks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/cybersecurity\/what-are-sniffing-attacks\/#Encrypted_connections\" >Encrypted connections<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Two_Kinds_Of_Sniffing_Attacks\"><\/span>Two Kinds Of Sniffing Attacks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sniffing attacks are broadly categorized as active and passive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Passive_sniffing\"><\/span>Passive sniffing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A hacker doesn\u2019t interfere with the traffic flow through a network while closely monitoring it. This is called a passive sniffing attack useful for gathering the targeted network\u2019s information including its data types. Such attacks arouse relatively less suspicion in the target system due to the lack of interference from packet sniffer\u2019s end.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Active_sniffing\"><\/span>Active sniffing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In active sniffing, hackers or packet sniffers send crafted packets to single or multiple targets within a network. The objective behind it is the extraction of sensitive data. This method allows cyber criminals to overtake the measures of <a href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/it-governance\/5-cyber-security-jobs-to-consider-in-2023\/\">cyber security<\/a> and infuse their target systems with malicious codes. These codes facilitate control over sensitive information in the target systems, to steal them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Damages_Do_Sniffing_Attacks_Cause\"><\/span>What Damages Do Sniffing Attacks Cause?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The following list is a reminder of the harmful consequences an organization may face due to a sniffing attack:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Leakage of sensitive data like email messages, financial details, and login credentials.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Attackers\u2019 control over confidential data through the injection of malicious code.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Slow network performance due to communication problems resulting from network traffic intervention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Exposure of proprietary data, trade secrets, and such other confidential information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Damage to the organization\u2019s reputation that compromises with the security of its network.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Detect_Sniffing_Attacks\"><\/span>How To Detect Sniffing Attacks?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Given here are a handful of techniques for detecting the detrimental sniffing attacks to maintain <strong>cyber security<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ping_method\"><\/span>Ping method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This method may not be very reliable but there is no harm in trying it. The technique involves the ping request of the affected machine\u2019s IP address. There are chances of the sniffer machine to answer to the ping request while it is still running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ARP_method\"><\/span>ARP method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sending a non-broadcast ARP to the suspect machine causes the latter to capture and cache it. This response is a clue for detecting a sniffing attack.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Local_host\"><\/span>Local host<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This procedure utilizes logs for identifying whether a machine is prone to sniffing attack or not.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Latency_method\"><\/span>Latency method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Latency method analyzes the possibility of attacks based on the ping time duration. The usual length of a ping time is short but an increase in it detects the presence of sniffer interference. Its load causes the target machine to take relatively more time in responding to pings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ARP_watch\"><\/span>ARP watch<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is the setting of alarms for the machine to provide alerts whenever the network shows a duplicate ARP cache.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Intrusion_detection\"><\/span>Intrusion detection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>IDS (Intrusion Detection System) is an effective tool to monitor a network\u2019s ARP spoofing. The system records data packets with spoof ARP addresses within networks.&nbsp;Switching to HTTPS, SSH from HTTP, using encryption tools, adding gateway MAC address to ARP cache permanently, are other solutions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Prevent_Sniffing_Attacks\"><\/span>How To Prevent Sniffing Attacks?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The following methods are very effective in safeguarding data through preventing the occurrence of sniffing attacks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Network_monitoring\"><\/span>Network monitoring<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Regular network monitoring is always helpful in detecting the connection of unauthorized devices to it or dubious activities. The use of proper tools is essential to figure out potential sniffing attempts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Two-factor_authentication\"><\/span>Two-factor authentication<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The implementation of 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) offers an extra protective layer of data security. It enforces a second step for verification of the unauthorized accessors on the network.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Password_strength\"><\/span>Password strength<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is a normal tendency of packet sniffers to attack login credentials of their targets. The use of unique and strong passwords assures enhanced security to online accounts. It would be wise to implement a password manager for creating and securing robust passwords.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Email_attachments\"><\/span>Email attachments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all email attachments are safe and so a recipient must always verify the sender identity before downloading them. Clicking on such attachments or links makes way for hackers to deliver malware into the network.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Firewall_protection\"><\/span>Firewall protection<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The configuration of a firewall on the network router or system is a powerful means to prevent sniffing attacks. It acts as a security layer against the unauthorized access of outbound or inbound traffic on a network.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Device_update\"><\/span>Device update<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Updating web applications, browsers, and the operating system is an age-old but valuable precautionary step. Regular updates comprise security patches that detect and address vulnerabilities which otherwise are exploited by cyber criminals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Secure_networks\"><\/span>Secure networks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cautious selection of Wi-Fi networks is an essential step. Public networks such as those available at airports or cafes, are susceptible to sniffing attacks. It is safest to use the workplace or home network after having secured it with WPA3 or WPA2 encryption. VPN encryption is necessary for protecting traffic on public networks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Encrypted_connections\"><\/span>Encrypted connections<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sniffers find it tough to decode encrypted data transferred from a device to its required destination. VPN (Virtual Private Network) connections are applicable to internet traffic security. Use TLS and SSH for enforcing safety in email services and remote connections, respectively. Encryption protocols like HTTPS are just perfect for protecting web browsers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To delve deep into the cyber security hacks and become a professional in them, several training programs are available. <a href=\"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/cissp-certification-training\"><strong>CISSP Certification Training<\/strong><\/a> and many other such courses are there for aspirants to choose from. Data security is an ever-evolving domain with businesses whether big or small, resorting to IT procedures. So, individuals desiring to etch their careers in this domain need not struggle for employment opportunities. Their demand is never-ending.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A modern tool of the present age cyber criminals is a packet sniffer, a piece of software or hardware. They use packet sniffers to capture&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":15810,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1255],"tags":[967,1126],"class_list":["post-15809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cybersecurity","tag-cissp-certification","tag-cybersecurity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15809"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15809\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18465,"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15809\/revisions\/18465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unichrone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}