How ease with which it might be possible to sniff confidential email from a network cable?

Question

For the PC investigated in a LAN connected PC, either in your hone, at your college or in your workplace. Comment on the ease with which it might be possible to sniff confidential email from a network cable. Compare and contrast measures which could be taken to reduce the risk of such an occurence.

Answer 1

The "sniffing" part is easy, you just need a computer with sniffer software running and access to the network at some point where the packets/frames traverse. Or you need access to an existing computer somewhere in that same path where you can load the sniffer software, then you would not even need physical access to the network. The world of Email is the world of postcards... you don't always know of have any control over which email servers your message is relayed through. If such systems and networks are not secured properly, the email can be read. The countermeasure that greatly reduces this vulnerability is encryption. There are many ways to accomplish that, but that's a different topic.