Networks increase the utility of computers by making them accessible to anyone no matter where they are located. They also introduce increased complexity to computer systems while posing potential security risks that were not a concern with standalone machines. Specialized tools such as network sniffers are required by network administrators to understand and optimize their networks. The same network sniffer tools can be used to subvert or enhance network security, as we shall soon see.
A network sniffer is a software tool or piece of hardware which is used to monitor network traffic. You may be familiar with the tool under one of its other names such as packet analyzer, network analyzer, or protocol analyzer. Hardware implementations of a packet analyzer are mostly employed by network administrators or security professionals operating with large networks.
ManageEngine Netflow Analyzer. ManageEngine has recently updated is Netflow analyzer to give.
ESP32 WiFi MAC Scanner/Sniffer (promiscuous). Sniffs WiFi Packets in promiscuous mode, Identifies Known Mac addresses and keeps track of how long they have been in proximity. Intermediate Showcase (no instructions) 25,649. Things used in this project. Hardware components.
I'm developing a website that uses SSL (connction to https) and I want to confirm that all the data sent is encrypted. Could anyone give me a good free packet sniffer on Mac OS that I could use?
There are many software network sniffing tools available that make it possible for anyone to monitor network traffic. The same tool can be used for constructive or malicious purposes depending on who is operating the application. Network admins and hackers both have the same tools but with very different intentions. Wireless network sniffers are used to monitor and potentially gain entry into WiFi networks which are becoming more prevalent every day.
How Does a Network Sniffer Work?
A network sniffer takes advantage of the method in which data is transmitted across a network. Networks send data in distinct packets in order to maintain data integrity and avoid network congestion. When files or emails are sent they are broken into smaller packets before being sent to their destination. Information included with each transmission includes:
The destination address
Number of packets being transmitted
Reassembly order of the packets
The Source address
When the data arrives at its destination, the message’s headers and footers are stripped off and the data is reconstructed. Networks and computers discard all messages that are not intended for them via a network filter.
A network packet sniffer operates by intercepting and logging the network traffic. The software analyzes the traffic and converts it to a user-friendly format. Depending on who is using the packet analyzer, the information provided by the tool can be used in a variety of ways.
Network sniffers can be operated in two modes.
Passive sniffing — This involves simply listening to and capturing traffic. This type of sniffing is not detectable.
Active sniffing — An Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) spoofing or traffic-flooding attack is launched against a switch in order to capture traffic. This is detectable by network intrusion tools.
How is a Network Sniffer Used?
A network sniffer tool can be used by network administrators to test and improve the functionality of their network. Some specific areas where a network sniffer is used for constructive purposes are:
Troubleshooting network issues such as bottlenecks.
Compiling statistics on a network such as available bandwidth.
Testing firewall implementations.
Securing a network by analyzing packet traffic in an attempt to detect unauthorized access to the network.
Unfortunately, the same tools that can assist a network admin to understand and protect their network can be used by individuals with malicious intentions. Some of the nefarious uses of a protocol analyzer are:
Using a network sniffer in promiscuous mode enables intruders to examine any packet traveling across the network regardless of its destination.
Intercepting packets of unencrypted data allows hackers to compromise passwords and gain unauthorized access to your network or applications.
WiFi sniffers can be used by hackers who set up fake hotspots and monitor the traffic in the hopes of finding unencrypted data that they can use for profit.
Inclusion in malware as in the VPNFilter malware attack.
As with many inventions, the way in which packet analyzers are used is solely determined by the person or entity using the tool. Governments, businesses, and advertisers also make use of network sniffing software to monitor the online activities of citizens and to find ways to inject ads that target specific individuals or groups.
Some Excellent Network Sniffers
There are many network sniffer tools available that can be run on the computing platform of your choice. Let’s take a look at some of them.
KisMac2
KisMac2 is a free network sniffer tool which is designed to run on the macOS platform. The open-source tool is meant to be used with WiFi networks and can perform a wide variety of WiFi monitoring and sniffing tasks.
It supports all of the Apple internal AirPort Extreme hardware as well as some third-party USB network cards. You need to be running macOS 10.9 or later to use this tool. Some of its features include:
User-friendly GUI
Ability to reveal hidden or cloaked SSIDs
Mapping and GPS support
Kismet drone support
Obtain maps of network coverage
KisMac2 is a great choice in a free network sniffer for the Mac.
Wireshark
This free and open-source network analyzer has versions which can be run on Windows, macOS, and Linux machines.
It is one of the most popular network sniffing applications available and comes packed with features such as:
Live packet capture and offline analysis
Powerful display filters
The ability to read and write numerous capture file formats
Decryption support for many protocols such as WEP and WPA/WPA2
Export output in a variety of formats
You can’t go wrong with this widely-used network tool.
EtherApe
Unix and Linux users can use this tool to monitor their network packets. It is a freeware tool that presents you with a graphical representation of your network. Lines expand and contract in the display based on current traffic and different colors are used to represent varying protocols on the network.
It is a popular choice among experienced network administrators.
WinDump
WinDump is a Windows port of the popular command line tool tcpdump. It is freeware that requires the prior installation of the Winpcap library. Once the library is installed, you simply run the tool as an executable file.
It performs all of the basic network sniffing tasks that you would expect and can be used with filters to limit data capture.
SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor
Here is a professional-grade network performance monitor that entails a substantial financial investment to deploy. It is obviously meant for use in professional settings where maintaining network performance is critical. One of its specialties is gathering information from network-attached equipment and this facility can help you track down the origin of unauthorized access to your system.
Pricing is based on the number of devices that will be monitored.
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Network sniffing software should be a mandatory part of every network administrator’s toolbox. Use of this type of software can help you maintain a secure network and troubleshoot any issues that may arise. If you don’t already have a network sniffer, we suggest you download one today.
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Every IT professional, from companies big or small, knows the value of data.
Troubleshooting is always an act that is half instinct and half data – and Packet Sniffing is where the data comes in.
A Packet Sniffer is the tool that helps you figure out if packets are being sent, received, and arriving safely on your network, but they can also do so much more!
Below is a list of some of the Best Packet Analyzers and Sniffers and some of the features that they have built in for you to extract network information and data.
They all tend to have the same sort of functionality – you can view packets being sent and received on some level or another, but many of the tools have certain nuances that allow them to shine in certain situations or network environments; the trick is knowing which one!
Ultimately packet sniffing is the go to tool when you've got a network issue that you can't quite isolate to a single machine or protocol and it's time to start digging deep.
There's almost too many choices in this category of software.
Some of them are a bit ‘old-school'; they're grounded in terminal font and command-prompt interfaces and aren't that user friendly at first glance.
Others are flashy much more geared towards a visual audience with easy installation, or portable executables, and plenty of graphs and tables.
They also range from free to quite expensive for corporate licensing!
Here's the Best 8 Free Packet Sniffers and Network Analyzers for Traffic and Data Analysis:
This particular software is a two-piece deal with similar, but distinct, functionality that goes hand in hand.
The Network Performance Monitor, as the name implies, monitors network performance and is going to be one of the Best Network Data Sniffers on the market if you want an overall view of what's going on in your network.
What this means, more plainly, is it pays mind to more of the pure motility of the network.
Transmission speeds and rates, packet transmission reliability, and even comes pre-configured with a wide variety of visual aids and sharp looking charts to make irregularities easier to spot.
Its counterpart, the Network Analyzer, again with a self-explanatory name, is more focused on the traffic itself.
While the Performance Monitor is focused more on the overall view of the network's performance, the Network Analyzer is paying a lot more attention to the network on a more granular level.
In particular this part of the program ferrets out the bandwidth hogs and anomalies, sorted by merit of users, protocols, or applications. Available for Windows environments only.
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2. ManageEngine Netflow Analyzer
ManageEngine has recently updated is Netflow analyzer to give you greater insights in your network traffic and bandwidth to see whats really going on in your networks.
With capabilities that allow you to weed out bandwidth hogs and resource heavy applications, you'll be happy to you chose this product over ones that dont give you historical data.
This ManageEngine product gives you detailed views into the packets that go through your networks and help you analyze them further.
Protocols and Capabilities include:
Traffic & Packet Analysis
Netflow, sFlow, j-flow, Netstream capable
Monitor Voice, Video & Network Data quickly from Centralized dashboard!
Utilize Packet analysis to perform network Foresnic & Analysis!
and much more!
Click the link below to get started today with a Free Download of this product in your network!
3. Wireshark
WireShark is relatively new tool in the broad scheme of network diagnostics, and it does a great job finding a middle ground between raw data and visual representations of that data.
It's simple, it's compatible, it's portable. It does what needs doing and it does it succinctly.
It's got a clean UI, plenty of options for filtering and sorting, and, best of all for some of the multi-platform folks, it jives happily on any of the big three in terms of OS.
Add to that the fact that it's open-source and a Free Sniffer and you've got a compelling tool to reach for when you need some quick diagnostics. Available for *NIX, Windows, and OSX environments.
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4. tcpdump
Tcpdump is something of an older tool and, to be frank, it looks like it. But there's a certain power in tools that are so cut and dry – it does what it needs to do, does it with as little a footprint as possible, and does it cleanly.
It may be harder for some professionals to weed through the stark tables of data, but in some environments, or on a machine barely running, minimal is best.
It's native and has its origins in the *NIX environment, but there are several Windows ports that do the job well.
It has all the functionality you'd want and need from a sniffer – capturing, recording, etc. – but it does lack a lot of the fancier capabilities of more robust software.
Tcpdump is often called for due to its sheer reliability and simplicity. Available for *NIX and Windows environments.
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5. Kismet
Kismet is more than just a packet sniffer and, in fact, delves into wide range of functionality.
Kismet even has the ability to sniff and analyze traffic of hidden networks or un-broadcasted SSIDs!
Tools like this can be strangely invaluable in the right circumstances when there's something unknown causing troubles and you can't just find it – Kismet can sniff it out, if it happens to be a rogue network or AP acting up nobody mentioned they setup not quite right.
As one can imagine by the nature of wireless networking it's a little more complex when it comes to sniffing, which is why a specialized tool like Kismet not only exists but is looked to frequently.
Kismet is an excellent go to if you've got a lot of wireless traffic and wireless devices and need a tool that's better suited to handling a wireless-heavy network. Available for *NIX, Windows Under Cygwin, and OSX environments.
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6. EtherApe
EtherApe has a lot of the same sort of functionality that WireShark does and, to boot, it also boasts being both Open-Source and free of any cost!
What makes it different, though, is that it's far more graphically driven.
Whereas WireShark has you peering at lists of numbers and comparing network throughput in a more numerical sense, EtherApe takes the focus more to the visual and graphical realm.
Some people just plain prefer the visual approach, and EtherApe tends to take precedence over WireShark for those folks. Available for *NIX and OSX environments.
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7. Cain and Abel
This particular software has a bit of a curious name, and it belies the remarkable breadth of tasks the program can perform.
If your needs extend well beyond simple sniffing, then this may be the tool for you.
It can even perform limited password recovery, do dictionary attacks to retrieve lost credentials, peruse VOIP data on the network, analyze routing, and so much more.
This is a powerful tool that can really shine in those rare instances when you need to do a little search and recovery on a network.
Available for Windows environments only.
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8. NetworkMiner
Network miner is another tool that does more than sniff and, arguably, would be better suited to ferreting out problematic users or systems on a network than overall diagnosis or monitoring as a whole.
Whereas other sniffers focus on the packets being sent back and forth, NetworkMiner is paying more mind to the ones doing the sending and receiving.
An excellent tool for finding problem machines or users.
Available for Windows environments only.
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9. KisMAC
This software's name says it all – it's a lot like Kismet, but for the Mac environment. KisMAC! Simple as that.
These days Kismet has a Mac environment port, so it may seem redundant, but it's worth emphasizing that KisMAC actually has its own codebase and was not directly derivative from Kismet's.
Of particular note is that it offers several mapping and de-auth features on Mac that Kismet itself doesn't provide, and due to its unique codebase you may find it does the job better than Kismet itself at times. Available for OSX environments only.
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Conclusion
Network Sniffing For Machine Learning
Using Network Analyzers and Packet Sniffers will become a necessary tool when you have network issues of almost any kind – whether it's performance, dropped connections, or issues with network-based backups.
Just about anything that involves transmitting or receiving data on the network can often be fixed using some clues from the above software.
Sniffing Network Traffic
Packet sniffing is invaluable when you've got to really dig down beyond the top layer of a problem to get a better picture of what's happening, or what isn't happening and should be!