A more advanced form of attack that builds on previous actions is known as the man-in-the-middle attack. This attack occurs when a third party intercepts the communication between two systems and either observes the traffic or alters it in some manner. This type of attack definitely goes further than any eavesdropping carried out via sniffing, but initially it starts in a very similar way.
Let's start this attack off by discussing some basic points, starting with the topics of switches and spoofing.
Our explanation of switches is meant to act as a primer or refresher on what switches do and their placement, as well as the hierarchy of network devices. It is not meant to be an exhaustive discussion of the ins and outs of switches or the anatomy of what devices do and how they do it. If you are not familiar with switches, how they function, why...