Which of the following is a common use for packet sniffing?

Packet sniffing is primarily used to capture data packets that travel across a network. This process involves monitoring and analyzing network traffic to gather details about data transmissions, such as the source and destination IP addresses, protocols being used, and the contents of the packets themselves. Packet sniffers can provide insights into network performance, help identify security vulnerabilities, and assist in troubleshooting issues by capturing and analyzing network data in real-time.

This capability makes packet sniffing a crucial tool for network administrators and security professionals, as it enables them to monitor data flows and detect any unusual or unauthorized activities within a network. The ability to capture such packets is fundamental because analyzing this data can help identify potential security threats or network inefficiencies.