5.2. Network Attacks
đź’ˇ First Principle: Attackers exploit weaknesses at every layer. Understanding attack methods helps you recognize indicators and implement appropriate defenses. Attacks target availability (DoS), confidentiality (eavesdropping), and integrity (tampering).
What breaks when you don't understand attacks: A switch suddenly floods traffic to all ports—is it broken, or is someone MAC flooding to capture traffic? Users can't reach websites—DNS poisoning or legitimate outage? Without recognizing attack patterns, you troubleshoot symptoms while the attacker continues. Knowing how attacks work means faster detection and appropriate response.
Think of attack knowledge like understanding how burglars operate—it helps you recognize suspicious activity and choose effective locks rather than just hoping for the best.
