What is a Network Sniffer?

[Dopani]

My traffic reports show that my site is getting a fair amount of traffic from a network sniffer. What is a network sniffer and should I be concerned? Can you tell me what it is?

 

[Rob Whisonant]

Is it probing ports or just link following?

 

[Carlos Kerika]

Definition of network sniffers.

A network sniffer is a software or hardware designed to intercept data as it is transmitted over a network and decode it into a format that's readable to humans. Network sniffers are analyzers specifically created for capturing data on wireless networks. The are commonly referred to as wireless packet sniffers or wireless network sniffers.

Network sniffer tools have many uses in commercial IT environments which are :ability to monitor, intercept, and decode data as it is in transit.

Source: Google

Network sniffers are popular tools for malicious actors. Hackers can use Network sniffer software to steal data, spy on network activity, and gather information to use in attacking the network. So this is reason enough to make you concerned.