Rerouting traffic using ARP poisoning is an attack on which network properties?

• A. Confidentiality
• B. Functionality
• C. Both A and B
• D. None of the above

Answer: (C)

Rerouting traffic with ARP poisoning undermines both confidentiality and the ability to rely on normal network operation. ARP poisoning misleads devices about who owns a given IP by sending forged ARP replies, making hosts associate a target IP (often the gateway) with the attacker’s MAC address. As a result, traffic that should travel to the gateway goes to the attacker instead. That enables eavesdropping on the payloads, which breaks confidentiality. At the same time, the altered routing can disrupt normal delivery, introduce delays, or even cause packets to be dropped or tampered with, degrading the network’s functionality. Even if the attacker forwards traffic to minimize disruption, the interception itself reduces the trusted, seamless operation of the network, affecting both privacy and reliable communication.