What is a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack and how does it work? Learn how MITM attacks intercept and alter communications, the risks they pose, and why understanding them is essential for the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity 100-160 exam.
Table of Contents
Question
A hacker intercepts communication between two users and modifies the transmitted data. What type of attack is this?
A. Ransomware attack
B. Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack
C. SQL injection attack
D. Denial-of-service (DoS) attack
E. Password spraying attack
Answer
B. Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack
Explanation
MITM attacks intercept and alter communications between two parties without their knowledge.
The described attack is a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack.
In a MITM attack, an attacker secretly intercepts and potentially modifies communications between two parties who believe they are communicating directly with each other.
The attacker can eavesdrop, steal sensitive information (such as credentials or financial data), and alter the data in transit without the knowledge of either party.
Common MITM techniques include creating fake Wi-Fi access points, ARP spoofing, DNS spoofing, and setting up fraudulent websites to intercept and manipulate user data.
For example, if two users are exchanging sensitive documents or credentials, a MITM attacker can intercept those documents, change their contents, and forward them to the intended recipient, making both parties believe they are communicating securely.
Real-world incidents, such as the Equifax data breach and various phishing campaigns, demonstrate the impact and prevalence of MITM attacks.
MITM attacks intercept and alter communications between two parties, enabling attackers to steal or manipulate data without detection.
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