In the world of Internet security, one of the more unfair issues involves online security tools and features being used to attack the very computers or networks they're supposed to protect.
This happens with a process called packet sniffing.
A packet sniffer is a system administrator that monitors and has access to all Internet traffic in a network.
Legitimately, the sniffing is intended to identify data or transmission errors to ensure more efficient network communication.
However, the administrator may also "sniff" data which he has no official business sticking his nose into.
A possible scenario is a disgruntled employee "sniffing" the company' credit account information so he could use it to transfer money into his personal account.
Anybody who has access to a network can install a packet sniffer and indiscriminately open packets which may bear sensitive information such as banking usernames and passwords.
In this scenario, information travels unencrypted, meaning, human readable.
If it brings some relief, a person can only sniff information from a network to which his computer is linked.
Thus, it is impossible to open packets remotely.
However, when a computer on the network is attacked by a virus or any other security breach, the interloper could sniff from that computer using captured information to attack other computers on the network.
It takes a lot of technical savvy to be able to spot malicious sniffers on a network because there are no clear indications of whether they're legit or not.
Packets will simply be captured without any distinguishable signs pointing to a computer that runs the sniffer.
However, it is possible to spot network interfaces that may be doing it maliciously and this could be a way of tracking rogues.
Then again, there are sniffers who sniff because it's their job to do so and they have the best intentions for the networks they maintain.
Needless to say, it's best for them to research about the different types of information that could could end up in their hands and how these may help maintain a healthy level of efficiency for their networks.
Being conscious about the presence of interlopers will also go a long way in both anticipating and averting their moves.
For personal users who only have their PC to secure, an IP changer software that allows for anonymous surfing will prove to be indispensable.
That's because it works by eradicating the only link between an Internet threat and a victim - his IP address.
When this IP is hidden, the hacker will simply find a trail that could lead him to his victim.