Man in the middle attack

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:

1. Interception: The attacker gets in between the client and the server (e.g., your browser and a website).
2. Eavesdropping: The attacker reads the data being exchanged (e.g., login credentials, credit card info).
3. 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.