What term describes an attacker masquerading as two communicating parties?

The term that describes an attacker masquerading as two communicating parties is known as a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack. In this type of attack, the malicious actor intercepts communications between two parties either to eavesdrop or to alter the messages being exchanged. This allows the attacker to effectively impersonate both parties, making it seem as if they are conversing with one another directly.

MitM attacks can be executed in various contexts such as unsecured Wi-Fi networks, where an attacker can position themselves between a user and the destination server. This form of attack highlights the vulnerability of network communications, particularly in systems lacking encryption. Understanding MitM attacks is crucial in the field of network security, as they exploit the inherent trust between communicating parties, leading to confidentiality breaches and data theft.