A Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack is a type of cyberattack where an attacker secretly intercepts and possibly alters the communication between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other.
How it works:
- Interception: The attacker gets in between the client and the server (e.g., your browser and a website).
- Eavesdropping: The attacker reads the data being exchanged (e.g., login credentials, credit card info).
- Manipulation (optional): The attacker can alter the data before passing it on (e.g., changing payment details).
Common scenarios:
- Unsecured Wi-Fi networks: An attacker on the same public Wi-Fi can intercept data.
- DNS spoofing: Redirects users to a fake website.
- HTTPS stripping: Downgrades secure HTTPS connections to unencrypted HTTP.
Protection methods:
- Use HTTPS (SSL/TLS encryption).
- Avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive tasks.
- Use VPNs.
- Employ strong authentication methods.
- Validate SSL certificates when connecting to websites.