Main Content

Cybersecurity 101: Three-Part Introductory Section

1.3.3 DNS and Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

The DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. There is a whole family of vulnerabilities in which the DNS on one’s computer can be fooled in accepting different IP addresses for a given domain, allowing adversaries to extract information under the pretence of a trusted site. Such vulnerabilities including cache poisoning, packet sniffing, and session hijacking. In a similar fashion, Man-in-the-Middle attacks can cause users to disclose sensitive information without being aware of a third-party’s involvement in the transfer of data.