Man-in-the-middle-Angriff

Man-in-the-middle attack

‘Man-in-the-middle’ means exactly what it says. In this type of attack, someone places themselves between two communicating parties without their knowledge.

The aim is to read the communication, possibly change it and obtain confidential information such as passwords and login details.

What exactly is a man-in-the-middle attack?

There are different methods used for these attacks. They can be broadly divided into attacks that target

technical vulnerabilities, e.g. in servers and programmes, or
human error, e.g. when accessing public Wi-Fi.

One attack pattern that is easy to understand, even for laypeople, is the simulation of public Wi-Fi access, e.g. in airports, hotels or cafés. The supposed Wi-Fi access has a legitimate-sounding name and is characterised by a strong signal. However, all data traffic runs through the man-in-the-middle’s system – including all passwords, user names, bank details, etc. Anyone using this supposed Wi-Fi access will not notice the attack. This is because the man-in-the-middle forwards the data to the destination address.

Where do I encounter man-in-the-middle attacks in my everyday work?

In principle, during any data exchange, especially via the Internet.

In any case, you should be aware of man-in-the-middle attacks before and when using public Wi-Fi access.

What can I do to improve my security?

Make sure that your entire system is up to date and install updates immediately. This is especially important for your web browser.
When visiting websites, make sure that the connection is secured via SSL or TLS.
Always use two-factor or multi-factor authentication when offered. This usually involves a one-time password that is sent to you via text message, for example. Prefer channels that are unlikely to be accessible to a man-in-the-middle attack. For example, a text message instead of an email.
Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks if possible.
If you have to use a public Wi-Fi network, minimise your risk. Make sure you connect to the legitimate Wi-Fi network. Do not download any data, do not transmit any passwords and do not use online banking.

Man-in-the-middle-Angriff

Was versteht man unter Man-in-the-middle-Angriff im Detail?

Wo begegnet mir das Thema Man-in-the-middle-Angriff im Arbeitsalltag?

Was kann ich tun, um meine Sicherheit zu verbessern?

What exactly is a man-in-the-middle attack?

Where do I encounter man-in-the-middle attacks in my everyday work?

What can I do to improve my security?