Security in Computing 5th Edition by Shari Lawrence Pfleeger, Charles P Pfleeger, Jonathan Margulies

Exercise 19

Compare copper wire, microwave, optical fiber, infrared, and (radio frequency) wireless in their resistance to passive and active wiretapping.

Step 1 of 3

Wiretapping

Wiretapping is considered as a threat on the network similar to eavesdropping. In Eavesdropping, the intruder sits on the network and observes the conversation or the data flowing over the medium. Wiretapping is a much more hostile term as it implies the conversation over the network is intercepted without getting into the notice of the sender and the receiver.

Wiretapping can be of two types: passive and active wiretapping. Passive wiretapping is much similar to eavesdropping in which the communication is not interrupted. On the other hand, Active wiretapping is the one in which the communication is intercepted. A device is placed attached on the communication medium and extracts the conversation being help over the network. Wiretapping can be done with regards to data being flowed over the network or any verbal communication being held over the telephone wires.