Wireless Sniffing
Capturing and analyzing wireless network traffic to intercept sensitive information.
Understanding Wireless Sniffing
Wireless sniffing is a technique used to capture and analyze network traffic over Wi-Fi networks. It can be used for legitimate purposes such as network monitoring and troubleshooting, but also for malicious activities, such as intercepting sensitive data like passwords, emails, and financial transactions. Attackers use sniffing tools to eavesdrop on unencrypted communications.
Types of Wireless Sniffing
Passive Sniffing
Listens to broadcasted Wi-Fi signals without interfering with network traffic.
Hard to detect because it does not send any packets into the network.
Common in public Wi-Fi environments where attackers capture unencrypted data.
Active Sniffing
Involves interacting with the network, such as sending packets to manipulate traffic flow.
Attackers may use ARP spoofing, DNS poisoning, or man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks to redirect traffic.
Can target both wired and wireless networks.
Impact of Wireless Sniffing
Data Theft – Attackers steal passwords, credit card numbers, and personal information.
Corporate Espionage – Sensitive business data and confidential emails can be intercepted.
Identity Theft – Stolen credentials can be used for fraudulent activities.
Network Compromise – Attackers can exploit sniffed data to launch further attacks.