netværkssniffere

A network sniffer, also known as a packet analyzer or protocol analyzer, is a piece of software or hardware that intercepts and logs traffic passing over a digital network or part of a network. It can be used for network troubleshooting, analysis, software and protocol development, and even for malicious purposes. The captured data is usually presented in a human-readable format. Network sniffers operate by placing a network interface card (NIC) into a special mode, often called "promiscuous mode," which allows it to capture all traffic passing on the network segment, not just traffic addressed to its own MAC address. This captured data can then be analyzed to understand network behavior, identify performance bottlenecks, or detect security issues. Commonly used network sniffers include Wireshark, tcpdump, and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor. While invaluable for network administration and security, the ability of sniffers to capture sensitive information like passwords or unencrypted communications makes their use a significant privacy concern, and unauthorized sniffing is illegal in many jurisdictions.