Wireshark
Wireshark is a powerful network protocol analyzer that lets you capture and analyze real-time network traffic. It is widely used by network administrators, security professionals, and developers to troubleshoot network issues, investigate security incidents, and analyze network protocols.
When you launch Wireshark, it starts capturing packets from your network interface, allowing you to inspect the contents of each packet and view various details such as source and destination IP addresses, protocol information, packet length, and timestamps. Wireshark supports a wide range of protocols, including Ethernet, TCP/IP, HTTP, DNS, and many more.
One of the key features of Wireshark is its filtering capabilities. You can apply filters to capture specific types of traffic or narrow down your analysis to focus on a particular protocol or source/destination. This is particularly useful in large and busy networks where capturing all the traffic may not be feasible or may generate an overwhelming amount of data.
Features:
- Packet Capture
- Protocol Support
- Filtering and Search
- Packet Analysis
- Protocol Decoding
Pros:
- Open Source
- Cross-Platform
- Extensive Protocol Support
- Powerful Analysis Capabilities
Cons:
- Steep Learning Curve
- Resource Intensive
- Privacy Considerations
- Limited Real-Time Analysis
Website: https://www.wireshark.org/
