Sniffer: The way we connect to the Internet today has changed a lot. Wireless networks are of great importance, largely due to the rise of mobile devices, being able to have more powerful connections, more coverage and also better speed. However, this also means that we can have more security problems if we compare it with the cable. We are going to talk about what it is to sniff a network and what programs there are for it.
What does sniffing a network consist of?
A network sniffer is a computer application in charge of analyzing wireless traffic. Therefore, sniffing is basically capturing packets that are being sent and received. This could become a problem if we are connected to public Wi-Fi and anyone can collect the information we send. For example, they could steal passwords or payment methods if we make a transaction.
We can therefore say that it is about tracing a network and obtaining data that travels through it. There are different types of software, for different types of devices and operating systems. But they are not only used for cybercrime, they can also be very useful for users.
They are tools that can help us to check if our network is really reliable. Also to carry out analysis of our connection, see graphs, etc. They are very interesting programs for ethical hacking as well.
However, the truth is that hackers can use this method to configure a network card and steal information. We already know that our data on the Internet has great value and can be targeted by cybercriminals to sell it to third parties, send us spam or various other attacks.
Programs to capture a Wi-Fi
We have seen what a network sniffer is and how they can be used to track Wi-Fi and all the information that travels there. This makes it very important to always encrypt connections, avoid open networks, and not run into problems of any kind.
We are going to show some of the most important programs to capture wireless networks. Some interesting tools that we can take into account. As often happens, we have a wide range of possibilities.
WireShark
One of the best known options is WireShark. This network protocol analyzer can be used to solve certain problems, obtain information and also learn about the operation of wireless networks.
It has a large number of options. We can say that it is based on tcdpdump, but we can use it graphically. Allows you to capture traffic passing through a network. It is also a completely free open source software program.
To use WireShark we have to download it from its official website. There we will see the different options, among which are the installable and the portable version. It is also available for macOS.
It is a very widespread program, so the application has been polished over time. In addition, we can find a large number of manuals on the Internet to learn about all the features it has.
droidsheep
An alternative is DroidSheep. It is an application that we can use to capture network packets on Android. It is the most widely used operating system on mobile devices, so this program may be of interest to many users.
Of course, we must bear in mind that to use this program we need to have the mobile rooted. Only then can we use it correctly. It allows us to analyze the connections, capture data and see if our network is really secure or if we should find a way to enhance reliability.
In our case we have tested the DroidSheep 15 version. We can also download previous ones in case our device is not compatible.
Microsoft Network Monitor
If we focus on Windows again, another program that we can use to capture traffic is Microsoft Network Monitor. Currently the latest version is 3.4. We can download it from the Microsoft website. It is compatible with all versions of Windows, although we have to choose whether our computer is 32 or 64 bit for it to work correctly.
Once we have it installed, the program will show us an image as we see below. We have to give New capture to start analyzing network packets. Also, on the main page, we can see a lot of information regarding the program and what it offers.
NetworkMiner
Yet another alternative is NetworkMiner. It is available for different operating systems, among which we can include Microsoft Windows. It does not need installation. We simply have to download the ZIP file, unzip it and run the application.
Once we are inside, we will have to choose the network card that we want to use to sniff traffic. We will have to create a rule in the Windows firewall to start using the program without problem and to capture traffic correctly.
IP Sniffer
A classic is IP Sniffer. It is a program that is more than a decade old. It is basic, easy to use and does not offer as many options as the previous ones, but it may be more than enough for many users.
We can download it from their website for free. As in the previous case, we will have to choose the network card that interests us and then hit Start. We can pause or stop the capture at any time.
ethereal
One more program that we want to show is Ethereal. It also allows us to capture data from a network. It is free and we can download it from its page. It is available for Windows.
It is an open source application that is created for both networking professionals and hobbyists. It offers a wide range of options and for many it is one of the best tools of this type that we can install.
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