Difference Between Sniffing and Spoofing
Difference Between Sniffing and Spoofing
Let’s learn the difference between sniffing and spoofing in this tutorial.
Sniffing: Sniffing is the practice of capturing and monitoring network traffic to gather information, such as login credentials, credit card details, or confidential messages. It is commonly used for network troubleshooting and analysis, but can also be exploited for malicious purposes. Hackers use packet sniffers to intercept sensitive data during transmission.
Spoofing: Spoofing is the act of disguising oneself as a trusted entity to deceive systems, users, or devices. Attackers manipulate network protocols to send falsified data, pretending to be a legitimate source. This technique is used in phishing attacks, identity theft, and man-in-the-middle attacks to gain unauthorized access or steal information.
Sniffing vs Spoofing
Some of the differences are as follows:
| Feature | Sniffing | Spoofing |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Sniffing is the process of monitoring and capturing network traffic to gather sensitive information. | Spoofing is the act of impersonating another entity to gain unauthorized access or deceive a system. |
| Purpose | Used for network analysis, troubleshooting, or malicious intent like data theft. | Used to bypass security measures, steal data, or launch attacks. |
| Techniques | Packet sniffers, network analyzers, Wireshark, tcpdump. | IP spoofing, email spoofing, ARP spoofing, DNS spoofing. |
| Impact | Can lead to unauthorized data access and privacy breaches. | Can lead to phishing, identity theft, and man-in-the-middle attacks. |
| Prevention | Use encryption (SSL/TLS), secure protocols, and network monitoring. | Use authentication mechanisms, firewalls, and anti-spoofing techniques. |
