Passive Attack

A passive attack is a term used in the cybersecurity industry to describe a cyber attack in which a cybercriminal monitors a computer system and scans it for vulnerabilities. Rather than interacting with the system, these cybercriminals simply read emails, tap into a systemʻs microphone, track internet usage, and use other tactics to eavesdrop on the activities of a computer user. Cybercriminals use the sensitive user information gathered from a passive attack for future, more direct system attacks. For instance, in the case of a company data breach, stolen employee login information gained from a passive attack is used to gain access to sensitive company files. Corporations typically follow cybersecurity best practices, such as refraining from downloading suspicious attachments, clicking unverified links, and acting on phishing emails to avoid passive attacks.