What is the primary goal of a wire sniffing attack?

The primary goal of a wire sniffing attack is to capture packets and extract sensitive information. This process involves monitoring and analyzing the data packets that travel across a network. By using a wire sniffer, an attacker can intercept and examine the data being transmitted, which may include personal information, login credentials, credit card numbers, and other confidential data. Wire sniffing can be performed on both wired and wireless networks and typically does not involve altering or disrupting the communication flow, making it a passive attack aimed at gathering information.

The other options do not align with the intent of wire sniffing. Encrypting data is a method used to protect information rather than capture it. Overloading a server with requests refers to a denial-of-service attack, which aims to disrupt services rather than gather data. Infecting a system with malware is more about compromising a system's integrity and obtaining control over it, which is different from the passive collection of information that characterizes wire sniffing.