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Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks

Simple Definition for Beginners:

A Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack is a type of cyberattack where a malicious actor intercepts and alters communication between two parties, allowing them to eavesdrop on sensitive information, manipulate data, or impersonate legitimate entities.

Common Use Example:

In a MitM attack on public Wi-Fi, an attacker intercepts communications between a user and a website, captures login credentials, and redirects the user to a fake website, enabling identity theft or financial fraud.

Technical Definition for Professionals:

A Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack occurs when an attacker positions themselves between two communicating parties and secretly intercepts, alters, or relays messages exchanged between them. Key aspects of MitM attacks include:

  • Interception:

o The attacker intercepts communication traffic between a client and a server, often exploiting vulnerabilities in network protocols or insecure communication channels.

o Common interception methods include ARP spoofing, DNS hijacking, SSL/TLS stripping, and Wi-Fi eavesdropping.

  • Packet Manipulation:

o The attacker modifies intercepted data packets to inject malicious content, such as malware, phishing links, or fraudulent transactions.

o Manipulation techniques include packet injection, content modification, and session hijacking to compromise data integrity and confidentiality.

  • Impersonation:

o The attacker impersonates one or both parties in the communication, posing as a trusted entity to deceive users or systems.

o Impersonation tactics involve creating fake websites, spoofing email addresses, or masquerading as legitimate servers to gain users’ trust.

  • Data Theft:

o MitM attackers steal sensitive information exchanged in communication, such as login credentials, financial details, personal data, or confidential documents.

o They use stolen data for identity theft, financial fraud, espionage, or unauthorized access to sensitive systems.

  • Session Hijacking:

o The attacker hijacks active sessions between users and services to gain unauthorized access or control over user accounts.

o Session hijacking exploits weaknesses in session management, authentication tokens, and session cookies to maintain persistent access.

MitM attacks pose significant risks to data confidentiality, integrity, and privacy, highlighting the importance of secure communication protocols, encryption, and threat detection measures.

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