There are many attacks that our network can suffer. Many varieties of threats and techniques that potential intruders can use to steal data and control traffic. In this article we are going to talk about what the ARP protocol is, something fundamental for connections. Let’s see how it works and what it is for. We will also explain what ARP Spoofing means, a type of attack that can compromise us.
What is the ARP protocol
ARP stands for Address Resolution Protocol. In Spanish we can translate it as address resolution protocol. It is a very important protocol in the network whose mission is to find the MAC address that corresponds to an IP address. To achieve this, a packet is sent, which is the ARP request.
Keep in mind that to surf the net, to send data packets through TCP / IP, a server will need to know some key data. You need to know the subnet mask, IP address and MAC address.
Each device receives both the subnet mask and the IP address automatically when establishing the connection. Later, the MAC address or hardware address is linked to an IP address through what we know as ARP.
We can therefore say that the ARP protocol is essential to transmit data on Ethernet networks. What are known as data frames can only be sent with the help of a MAC address to the destination servers. Also, the IPv4 protocol cannot store device addresses. This is why this protocol is essential for our connections.
The problem is that this protocol sometimes has vulnerabilities. That is why there may be ARP spoofing or also known as ARP Spoofing.
What does ARP Spoofing mean
ARP Spoofing is how this type of attack is known. It’s basically ARP table poisoning. It is a technique that hackers use to gain access to a network to steal data packets that pass through the local network. This way you could control the traffic and also even stop it.
Cybercriminals can send spoofed ARP messages over a LAN. It manages to link its MAC address with the IP address of a server, something that as we have seen previously is necessary.
From that moment on, it would begin to receive any type of information that you enter through that IP address and be able to take control of the traffic completely.
Therefore we can say that an ARP spoof consists of sending false ARP messages to the Ethernet. Associates, for simplicity, the attacker’s MAC address with the IP address and makes the information reach the attacker.
This is a very important problem for companies and private users. We already know that today there are many types of attacks on the Internet, many threats that in one way or another seek to steal information and compromise privacy. With ARP Spoofing, an attacker can steal sensitive data from a company or user.
This sensitive data can include user names, passwords, conversations, cookies … In short, information that can compromise an organization or any particular user.
Tools available for this type of attack
Hackers can make use of a number of tools that are available to anyone and that they use for ARP spoofing. We can name some like Arpoison, Netcut or Ettercap .
The network is full of platforms and information that can be used by cybercriminals to achieve their goals. One of the biggest problems is that they are very accessible. In fact, some of the varieties of malware most present today are on the rise precisely because of this ease of obtaining them.
How to avoid ARP spoofing
Luckily we have some points that we must take into account to avoid being victims of ARP spoofing. There are certain functions that we can implement to make it difficult for hackers who could damage our network.
Tools to monitor
One of the options we have is to use tools to monitor and discover possible vulnerabilities in the system. There are free and open source options like Arpwatch that allows you to have a control over the activity of the Ethernet traffic.
Subdivide the network into several parts
We can also subdivide the network into several parts. This prevents that, in the event of an attack attempt by an outsider, that this attack affects only one part and not the entire global network. However, this requires a more complex network installation.
Secure Neighbor Discovery Protocol
Another option is to use the Secure Neighbor Discovery (SEND) protocol, although it is only compatible with the most modern operating systems.
In short, ARP spoofing attacks are one of the problems that can compromise our privacy and security on the network. It can also affect organizations and control incoming traffic. It is important that we always take steps to protect our equipment.