Eavesdropping (LauschAttack)
Eavesdropping, or also known as “snooping” or “packet sniffing”, is the act of listening in on a conversation between two or more people or devices without their knowledge or permission. In the world of computer networks, eavesdropping refers to the unauthorized interception of data that is being transmitted between two or more computers.
Imagine that two people are talking to each other on the phone, and a third person is secretly listening in on their conversation. This is similar to what happens when an attacker uses eavesdropping techniques to capture data that is being transmitted across a network.
Eavesdropping attacks can be carried out using specialized software, hardware, or a combination of both. Once the data has been intercepted, the attacker can then analyze it to glean sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or other private data.
To protect against eavesdropping attacks, it is important to use encryption technologies to secure data that is being transmitted over a network. Encryption scrambles the data so that it can only be read by someone who has the appropriate decryption key.
In short, eavesdropping in the context of computer networks is the act of intercepting and listening in on data that is being transmitted between two or more devices without their knowledge or consent.