Which statement best describes a man-in-the-middle attack?

• A. It is a form of malware that encrypts user files
• B. It involves intercepting and potentially altering communication between two parties
• C. It is a technique for phishing
• D. It is a Denial of Service attack

Answer: (B)

A man-in-the-middle attack happens when an attacker places themselves between two parties in a communication so they can secretly monitor, capture, and potentially modify the messages exchanged. This is exactly what intercepting and potentially altering communication between two parties means, allowing the attacker to eavesdrop or tamper with data as it travels. The other options describe different threats: malware that encrypts files is ransomware, phishing uses social engineering to steal credentials, and a Denial of Service attack aims to disrupt service rather than intercept communications. To reduce MITM risk, rely on strong encryption with proper certificate validation, and use trusted networks or VPNs.