Which attack type occurs when an adversary intercepts, monitors, or secretly alters communication packets passing between two legitimate communicating endpoints without their knowledge?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack
- Step 1: Define the threat model: an unauthorized third party positioning themselves between two communicating nodes.
- Step 2: In a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack (e.g., via ARP spoofing or rogue Wi-Fi access points), the attacker relays communications between parties who believe they are talking directly to each other, eavesdropping or modifying payloads.
Answer
Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack.
Why not the others: Brute-force attacks guess passwords systematically; CSRF tricks authenticated users into submitting unwanted commands; buffer overflow corrupts execution stacks.
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