What would be the primary reason an attacker would launch a MAC address overflow attack?
- so that the attacker can execute arbitrary code on the switch
- so that the switch stops forwarding traffic
- so that the attacker can see frames that are destined for other hosts
- so that legitimate hosts cannot obtain a MAC address
| Explanation & Hint:
The primary reason an attacker would launch a MAC address overflow attack is so that the attacker can see frames that are destined for other hosts. When the switch’s MAC address table becomes full, it can no longer associate new frames with specific ports. As a result, the switch behaves like a hub, broadcasting incoming frames to all ports, rather than forwarding them only to the correct destination port. This behavior allows an attacker to see traffic that is not intended for their host, effectively enabling the attacker to eavesdrop on the traffic traversing the switch. This type of attack is often used to capture sensitive data from other hosts on the network. |