Technology Corner: Internet Packet Sniffers

Abstract

The best way to understand an internet packet sniffer, hereafter “packet sniffer”, is by analogy with a wiretap. A wiretap is a piece of hardware that allows a person to eavesdrop on phone conversations over a telephone network. Similarly, a packet sniffer is a piece of software that allows a person to eavesdrop on computer communications over the internet. A packet sniffer can be used as a diagnostic tool by network administrators or as a spying tool by hackers who can use it to steal passwords and other private information from computer users. Whether you are a network administrator or information assurance specialist, it helps to have a detailed understanding of how packet sniffers work. And one of the best ways to acquire such an understanding is to build and modify an actual packet sniffer. But first, a disclaimer: the information contained in this paper is for educational purposes only—the use of packet sniffers to eavesdrop on private information is illegal, and violates the computer use policies of most organizations.