What is a Packet Sniffer ?
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A packet sniffer is a program that monitors and analyzes network traffic, detecting bottlenecks and problems. Using this information, a network manager can keep traffic flowing efficiently. A sniffer can also be used legitimately or illegitimately to capture data being transmitted on a network. A network router reads every packet of data passed to it, determining whether it is intended for a destination within the router's own network or whether it should be passed further along the Internet. A router with a sniffer, however, may be able to read the data in the packet as well as the source and destination addresses. The term "sniffer" is occasionally used for a program that analyzes data other than network traffic. A number of companies offer products that include "sniffer" as part of their name. |
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