Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) on ARP poisoning
Q1: How does ARP poisoning work?
Answer:
ARP poisoning exploits the weakness in the ARP protocol, which lacks authentication. The attacker sends false ARP messages to the target devices, falsely associating their own MAC address with the IP addresses of other devices on the network. As a result, network traffic destined for those devices is diverted to the attacker’s machine.
Q2: What are the motivations behind ARP poisoning attacks?
Answer:
The motives behind ARP poisoning attacks can vary. Some common motivations include eavesdropping on network traffic to collect sensitive information, performing man-in-the-middle attacks for interception or modification of data, or causing network disruptions and denial of service.
Q: How can ARP poisoning attacks be detected?
Answer
Detection of ARP poisoning attacks can be challenging since the ARP protocol itself does not provide a built-in mechanism for detecting spoofed or manipulated ARP messages. However, there are some techniques to detect ARP poisoning, such as monitoring ARP caches, using network intrusion detection systems (IDS), or employing tools specifically designed for ARP poisoning detection.
Q: What are the preventive measures against ARP poisoning attacks?
Answer
Several strategies can help prevent ARP poisoning attacks, including:
– Implementing network segmentation to isolate critical devices.
– Configuring static ARP entries to bind IP addresses with MAC addresses.
– Employing cryptographic protocols (e.g., IPsec) for secure communication.
– Monitoring network traffic and analyzing ARP activity for anomalies.
– Implementing network access control mechanisms, such as 802.1X authentication.
Q5: Can ARP poisoning attacks be executed over wireless networks?
Answer
Yes, ARP poisoning attacks can be performed on wireless networks. In a Wi-Fi network, the attacker must be within range and connected to the same network as the target devices to execute ARP poisoning.
What is ARP Spoofing? – ARP poisoning Attack
The ARP Poisoning, also known as ARP Spoofing, is a type of cyberattack that takes advantage of the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol). ARP is a protocol that maps an IP address to a MAC address within a local network. However, ARP lacks authentication mechanisms, and this is what the attack exploits.
The attacker sends fake ARP responses to a specific host on the network, thus linking the attacker’s MAC address to the IP address of another host, such as the network’s gateway. As a result, the target host sends all its network traffic to the attacker instead of the intended host.
ARP Spoofing / ARP Poisoning Diagram