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Planning Your Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Why do I need a VPN?
Cisco WRVS4400N Wireless-N Gigabit Security Router with VPN Administration Guide 14
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At this point, your data becomes open to hackers using a variety of methods to
steal not only the data you are transmitting but also your network login and
security data. Some of the most common methods are as follows:
• MAC Address Spoofing, page14
• Data Sniffing, page14
• Man in the Middle Attacks, page 14
MAC Address Spoofing
Packets transmitted over a network, either your local network or the Internet, are
preceded by a packet header. These packet headers contain both the source and
destination information for that packet to transmit efficiently. A hacker can use this
information to spoof (or fake) a MAC address allowed on the network. With this
spoofed MAC address, the hacker can also intercept information meant for
another user.
Data Sniffing
Data “sniffing” is a method used by hackers to obtain network data as it travels
through unsecured networks, such as the Internet. Tools for just this kind of activity,
such as protocol analyzers and network diagnostic tools, are often built into
operating systems and allow the data to be viewed in clear text.
Man in the Middle Attacks
Once the hacker has either sniffed or spoofed enough information, he can now
perform a “man in the middle” attack. This attack is performed, when data is being
transmitted from one network to another, by rerouting the data to a new
destination. Even though the data is not received by its intended recipient, it
appears that way to the person sending the data.
These are only a few of the methods hackers use and they are always developing
more. Without the security of your VPN, your data is constantly open to such
attacks as it travels over the Internet. Data travelling over the Internet will often
pass through many different servers around the world before reaching its final
destination. That’s a long way to go for unsecured data and this is when a VPN
serves its purpose.