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Ask A Pen Tester: What Are Packet Sniffing & Black Hole Attacks?

One of the most common VoIP attacks is called packet sniffing, which allows hackers to steal and log unencrypted information contained in voice data packets while they are in transit.  

Packet loss, when voice data packets don’t reach their destination, is caused by packet sniffers looking to steal information and slow service via a packet drop attack (sometimes called a black hole attack.) These packet sniffers intentionally drop packets into data streams by taking control of your router, resulting in a much slower network service or a complete loss of network connection.

Packet sniffing also makes it easy for hackers to intercept usernames, passwords, and other sensitive data.

To help make your Internet lines more secure, use a reliable VoIP VPN option or a virtual private network to send information. This takes some time to set up and get running, but it ensures that information is secure.

Users can also guard against packet sniffing and black hole attacks by ensuring all data is end-to-end encrypted and through consistent network monitoring, which will instantly alert users to suspicious login attempts, unfamiliar devices, and more.

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