Eavesdropping
Secretly intercepting communications, such as network traffic or conversations, without the parties' knowledge or consent.
Eavesdropping↗, in a cybersecurity↗ context, refers to secretly intercepting digital communications, network traffic, phone calls, or messages, without the knowledge or consent of the people involved. On an unencrypted Wi-Fi network, for example, an eavesdropper on the same network can potentially capture data traveling between other devices and the internet.
Encryption↗ is the primary defense against eavesdropping: even if an attacker intercepts the data in transit, strong encryption renders it unreadable without the correct key. This is why using a VPN on public Wi-Fi and confirming a website uses HTTPS both matter for protecting sensitive information from prying eyes.