Man-in-the-middle Attacks

What are Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks?

Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks are cyberattacks where an attacker secretly intercepts and relays messages between two parties who believe they are communicating directly with each other.

How Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks Occur?

1. Wi-Fi Eavesdropping
   • Intercepted Data: Attackers intercept data transmitted over unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
2. HTTPS Spoofing
   • Fake Websites: Creating fake websites that appear secure to intercept sensitive information.
3. Email Hijacking
   • Compromised Accounts: Hijacking email accounts to intercept and manipulate communication.
4. Session Hijacking
   • Session Takeover: Taking over a user’s session after they have authenticated with a service.
5. DNS Spoofing
   • Redirected Traffic: Manipulating DNS queries to redirect traffic to malicious websites.

What are the Impacts of Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks on Businesses?

1. Financial losses
   • Fraudulent Transactions: Financial losses from intercepted and manipulated transactions.
2. Data Breaches
   • Compromised Information: Loss of sensitive company data and confidential information.
3. Reputation damage
   • Trust Issues: Erosion of customer trust due to security breaches.
4. Operational disruption
   • Business Interruption: Disruptions in operations while addressing security breaches and reinforcing security measures.
5. Legal and Regulatory Consequences
   • Compliance Issues: Potential fines and legal repercussions for failing to protect communications adequately.