What is a Network Sniffer and How to Protect Against It (Part 1)

A sniffer is a software or hardware tool that allows the user to “sniff” or monitor your internet traffic in real time, capturing all the data flowing to and from your computer.
In todays video we will learn how sniffers work, what they’re used for, and how you can protect your data against sniffers with various tools and methods.

Sniffers aren’t always bad news. In many cases, administrators use sniffing tools to maintain a steady flow of traffic through their networks. They can detect bandwidth hogs, such as anyone making heavy use of file-sharing programs, and then take appropriate action.


But if you’re asking what a sniffer attack is, you’re probably less concerned with legitimate applications of sniffing technology, and more with how someone might be using that tech against you.

These devious little programs go by a variety of names — network probes, wireless sniffers, Ethernet sniffers, packet sniffers, packet analyzers — but no matter what you call them, they all get up to the same mischief: eavesdropping on you.