Eavesdropping
Eavesdropping is a deceptively mild term. The attackers are usually after sensitive financial and business information that can be sold for criminal purposes. There also is a booming trade in so-called spouseware, which allows people to eavesdrop on their loved ones by tracking their smartphone use.
Understanding the Eavesdropping Attack
An eavesdropping attack can be difficult to detect because the network transmissions will appear to be operating normally.
To be successful, an eavesdropping attack requires a weakened connection between a client and a server that the attacker can exploit to reroute network traffic. The attacker installs network monitoring software, the "sniffer," on a computer or a server to intercept data as it is transmitted.
Amazon Alexa and Google Home are vulnerable to eavesdropping, as are any internet-connected devices.
Any device in the network between the transmitting device and the receiving device is a point of weakness, as are the initial and terminal devices themselves.
How to Foil an Eavesdropping Attack
Eavesdropping attacks can be prevented by using a personal firewall, keeping antivirus software updated, and using a virtual private network (VPN).
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