What Is Data Sniffing and How Businesses Can Defend Against It

Data sniffing, also called packet sniffing, is the covert interception of data packets as they travel across a network, and attackers use it to steal passwords, financial data, and confidential communications. Unlike many cyberattacks, sniffers operate silently and can be difficult to detect, making them a persistent threat on both corporate and public networks. Businesses face serious risks including customer data leaks, executive credential theft, internal communication exposure, and supply chain compromise. A single infected or rogue device on a network can give an attacker broad access to sensitive information affecting employees, customers, and partners. Experts recommend a layered defence strategy that includes encryption, strong identity verification, network segmentation, anomaly monitoring, user education, and regular security testing.