man-in-the-middle
Covert communication interception scheme
A man-in-the-middle attack is a form of digital eavesdropping where someone secretly intercepts communications between two parties who believe they're communicating directly with each other.
The attacker can read, alter, or inject messages without either side knowing.
The term appears in cybersecurity contexts: The hacker used a man-in-the-middle attack to steal login credentials.
Often abbreviated MITM.
Seizing something in transit
- eavesdroppingSecretly listening to others
- spoofingFraudulent imitation
- phishingFraudulent credential harvesting
- credential theftUnauthorized acquisition of authentication data
proxy · decryption · exploit · breach · sniffer · payload · malware · intrusion
Converting data into code
- certificateFormal written attestation
- public keyShareable encryption component
- handshakeMutual palm-gripping gesture
- authenticationConfirming genuine identity
TLS · HTTPS · digital signature · PKI · cipher · protocol · verification · secure channel
Network access control system
- VPNEncrypted network connection
- end-to-end encryptionUnreadable data between sender and recipient
- two-factor authenticationIdentity confirmation requiring two proofs
- secure connectionEncrypted communication channel
intrusion detection · antivirus · patch · penetration testing · whitelisting · threat assessment · access control · sandboxing
interception
Seizing something in transit
- eavesdroppingSecretly listening to others
- spoofingFraudulent imitation
- phishingFraudulent credential harvesting
credential theft · proxy · decryption · exploit · breach · sniffer · payload · malware · intrusion · vulnerability
encryption
Converting data into code
- certificateFormal written attestation
- public keyShareable encryption component
- handshakeMutual palm-gripping gesture
authentication · TLS · HTTPS · digital signature · PKI · cipher · protocol · verification · secure channel · nonce
firewall
Network access control system
- VPNEncrypted network connection
- end-to-end encryptionUnreadable data between sender and recipient
- two-factor authenticationIdentity confirmation requiring two proofs
secure connection · intrusion detection · antivirus · patch · penetration testing · whitelisting · threat assessment · access control · sandboxing
- cybersecurityantivirus, malware, firewall, firewalls, encryption
- cyber threatsmalware, phishing, hacking, virus, ransomware
- cyberattacksmalware, phishing, ransomware, hack, virus
- cybercrimehacking, phishing, malware, ransomware, data breach
- Cyberthreatsmalware, phishing, ransomware, hacking, viruses
- email securityspam folder, spam, spam filters, email filter, encryption
man-in-the-middleend-to-end
Spanning the full sequence
point-to-point · peer-to-peer · direct connection · unintercepted
man-in-the-middleend-to-end encryption
Unreadable data between sender and recipient
secure connection · secure channel · TLS · SSL · VPN
middle, manly, manliness, mankind, manhood, unmanned, manned, manning, middling