ARP Spoofing and ARP Poisoning

In this article, we will learn about the difference between ARP Spoofing and ARP Poisoning. We will explore them and understand the importance of these two malicious attacks in the context of network security. Before diving into the difference between ARP Spoofing and ARP Poisoning let’s understand these topics in detail.

What is ARP?

ARP or Address Resolution Protocol is one of the most essential protocol layers in the OSI model. whenever a device wants to communicate with any other device in a local area network, our protocol comes into play. ARP protocol lets devices communicate with each other by translating the MAC address of the device with its IP address and vice versa. There are two identifiers to identify devices on a network.

1. IP addresses (logical addresses) are used to identify devices on a wide-area network (Internet).
2. MAC addresses (Physical addresses) are used to identify devices on a local area network.

Now let’s talk about the ARP cache and ARP Spoofing:

• ARP Cache: It is an ARP table or a collection of ARP entries that every network-connected device maintains. ARP Cache is created whenever a device’s MAC address is mapped with its local IP address. Devices use the ARP cache to avoid redundant address resolution requests. but this Cache can be poisoned (Using ARP Spoofing) here the term “poisoned” basically means a fake MAC address associated with an IP address. this leads to the man-in-the-middle attack where data can be intercepted, modified, dropped, or stopped.
• ARP Spoofing: ARP Spoofing, also referred to as ARP Cache Poisoning as we discussed earlier. it is a type of malicious attack in which the attacker sends a fake ARP message over a local network in order to link the attacker’s MAC address with the IP address of another device on a local area network to achieve a malicious attack.

If an attacker can manage the linking of the MAC address of his/her device with the IP address of any other device on a local area network, this linking leads to ARP Poisoning and allows an attacker to carry out several malicious tasks such as intercepting network traffic, modify, and even stop or dropped the data in-transit by putting an attacker in the middle of the communication of the devices (Man In The Middle Attack).

ARP SPOOFING ATTACK

Now lets talk about the Man in the middle attack, ARP Poisoning and Packet Sniffing:

• Man-in-the-Middle (MIM) Attack: ARP Spoofing also known as ARP Poisoning is the Man-in-the-Middle (MIM) Attack. In this type of attack, the attacker secretly intercepts and, in some cases, alters the communication between two parties without their knowledge. ARP Spoofing serves as the means to achieve this interception.
• ARP Poisoning: ARP Poisoning is a wider term that contains both ARP Spoofing and ARP Cache Poisoning. It describes any form of malicious manipulation of ARP messages to compromise network security. This manipulation can involve either redirecting network traffic or spying on network communications.
• Packet Sniffing: Packet Sniffing is a passive network monitoring technique where an attacker captures data packets as they travel through the network. ARP Spoofing is often used to facilitate packet sniffing, allowing the attacker to grab sensitive information.

Consequences of ARP Spoofing

ARP Spoofing can have severe consequences, including:

1. Data Interception: Attackers can intercept sensitive data, such as login credentials or financial information.
2. Data Modification: It can allow attackers to modify data packets in transit, leading to potential data corruption.
3. Denial of Service (DoS): In some cases, ARP Spoofing can disrupt network connectivity for legal users.

Difference Between ARP Spoofing and ARP Poisoning

Basic terms	ARP Spoofing	ARP Poisoning
Focus	The main focus of ARP Spoofing is to intercept or modify network traffic within a LAN(Local area network)	ARP Poisoning is a wider term that contains both ARP Spoofing and ARP Cache Poisoning.
Outcome	In ARP Spoofing, the attacker sends false ARP messages to mislead devices on the network into associating their MAC address with a legal IP address. This manipulation allows the attacker to intercept or modify data packets intended for the target IP address.	While ARP Poisoning includes ARP Spoofing, it also covers other ARP-related attacks, such as ARP Cache Poisoning. ARP Poisoning can involve either redirecting network traffic or spying on network communications.
purpose	ARP Spoofing is often a component of Man-in-the-Middle (MIM) attacks, where the attacker secretly intercepts and potentially alters the communication between two parties without their knowledge.	ARP Poisoning is used as a general term to describe any form of malicious ARP message manipulation aimed at compromising network security.

Conclusion

To summarise, network security is compromised by both ARP poisoning and spoofing, which capture LAN traffic and ARP poisoning. Vigilance is always needed when protecting your network.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can ARP Spoofing attacks be combined with other techniques to evade intrusion detection systems (IDS) effectively?

Techniques including time-based assaults (delayed answers), low-frequency ARP packet transmission, and MAC address rotation can be used by ARP spoofing attacks to bypass detection thresholds and evade intrusion detection systems.

2. How can attackers manipulate ARP caches to persistently maintain control over a compromised network?

Attackers can use techniques like ARP cache poisoning, dynamic ARP inspection by continuously misleading devices into associating their MAC address with a target IP address.