Ethernet sniffing : a big threat to network security

Networks play an important role in today's information age. The need to share information and resources makes networks a necessity in almost any computing environment. In many cases, the network can be thought of as a large, distributed computer, with disks and other resources on big systems being shared by smaller workstations on people's desks.Security has long been an object of concern and study for both data processing systems and communications facilities. With computer networks, these concerns are combined, and for local networks, the problems may be more acute. Consider a fullcapacity local network, with direct terminal access to the network, data files, and applications distributed among a variety of processors. This network may also provide access to and from long-haul communications and be part of an internet. Clearly, the task of providing security in such a complex environment is quite involved.The subject of security is a broad one and encompasses physical and administrative controls. The aim of this research is to explore the security problems pertaining to Ethernet networks. Different approaches to obtain a secure Ethernet environment are also discussed.Department of Computer ScienceThesis (M.S.