A “man-in-the-middle” (MITM) attack is a type of information security attack in which an attacker intercepts communications between two parties to steal or modify data without either party realizing it.
The attacker inserts himself or herself between the two communicating parties, intercepting and possibly altering the messages sent between them. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, such as by intercepting wireless communications or by compromising a router or other networking equipment.
The attacker can then read, modify, or inject new messages into the communication, allowing them to steal sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, or to modify the communication in a way that is advantageous to them.
To prevent MITM attacks, it is important to use secure communication protocols, such as Transport Layer Security (TLS), and to be cautious when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks or other untrusted networks. Additionally, keeping software up-to-date and implementing strong authentication measures can help protect against MITM attacks.