Which Tool Performs ARP Poisoning and MITM Attacks?
A penetration tester uses a tool to perform ARP poisoning and then launches a man-in-the-middle attack. The tool also allows session hijacking and sniffing. Which of the following tools is being used?
Quick Answer
The answer is Ettercap. This tool is the correct choice because it is specifically designed to perform ARP poisoning, which allows an attacker to intercept network traffic between two hosts, and then seamlessly launch a man-in-the-middle attack for session hijacking and sniffing. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between network sniffing tools; a common trap is confusing Ettercap with Wireshark (which only sniffs) or Cain & Abel (which also does ARP poisoning but lacks the same integrated session hijacking features). Ettercap’s unique strength lies in its combined ARP poisoning and MITM attack capabilities, making it the go-to tool for active interception. To remember it, think of the mnemonic “Ettercap Eats ARP Packets” — it captures and poisons ARP traffic to insert itself into the middle of a conversation.
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse Wireshark's passive sniffing capability with active MITM functionality, forgetting that Wireshark cannot perform ARP poisoning or session hijacking on its own.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ettercap
Ettercap is a comprehensive suite for man-in-the-middle attacks on LANs, featuring built-in ARP poisoning, session hijacking, and sniffing capabilities. It actively intercepts traffic by spoofing ARP replies to redirect packets through the attacker's machine, enabling real-time manipulation of sessions. This matches the question's description of a tool that performs ARP poisoning, MITM attacks, session hijacking, and sniffing.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Wireshark
Why it's wrong here
Wireshark is a sniffer only, does not perform ARP poisoning.
- ✗
tcpdump
Why it's wrong here
tcpdump is a command-line packet analyzer, not for ARP poisoning.
- ✓
Ettercap
Why this is correct
Ettercap supports ARP poisoning, MITM, and sniffing.
- ✗
Nmap
Why it's wrong here
Nmap is for network discovery and scanning, not ARP poisoning.
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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on CEH
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which tool would a penetration tester MOST likely use to perform ARP poisoning and conduct a man-in-the-middle attack on a local network?
medium- A.Wireshark
- B.Nmap
- C.tcpdump
- ✓ D.Ettercap
Why D: Ettercap is a dedicated suite for man-in-the-middle attacks on LANs, with built-in support for ARP poisoning. It actively sends forged ARP replies to associate the attacker's MAC address with the IP of a legitimate host, allowing interception of traffic between two hosts. This makes it the most direct and purpose-built tool for the task described.
Variation 2. A penetration tester uses a tool to spoof ARP replies, redirecting traffic through the tester's machine. The tester then captures credentials from the redirected traffic. Which tool is BEST suited for this task?
hard- ✓ A.Ettercap
- B.Wireshark
- C.Nmap
- D.tcpdump
Why A: Ettercap is the best tool for ARP spoofing because it is specifically designed for man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks on local networks. It actively sends forged ARP replies to poison the ARP cache of target hosts, redirecting traffic through the attacker's machine, and includes built-in packet capture and credential extraction features.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CEH exam.