Man-in-the-Middle Attacks Overview

A man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack is a form of cyber attack where an attacker intercepts communication between two parties, such as a user and a website or two enterprise users, and secretly snoops the communication before passing it on to the intended recipient. 

Once the attacker has intercepted the communication, they can use various methods, such as packet sniffing or session hijacking, to manipulate the transmitted data. The attacker can then steal sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or login credentials, leading to identity theft, financial loss, or other forms of fraud.

This attack is often carried out on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks, where an attacker can intercept data transmitted between a user's device and the internet. However, it is also used in high-profile organizations, where a lot of valuable information is exchanged daily.

ARP spoofing can be used to generate an MITM attack by intercepting network traffic and redirecting it through the attacker's machine, giving them access to sensitive information and the ability to modify or block communication.

To protect against MITM attacks, it is important to use secure communication protocols, such as HTTPS, which encrypts data in transit. It's also important to use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks or accessing sensitive information. You can also implement various security measures, such as intrusion detection systems, firewalls, and access controls, to detect and prevent MITM attacks.