Are hubs more insecure than switches?

[fwacct4]

Are hubs more insecure than switches because of possibility of packet sniffing on promiscuous mode?

I want to place one at work just to allow multiple ethernet connections instead of just having one ethernet jack.

I have an old hub that I can use since speed isn't too big of a concern, but if the guy next to me wants to get smart and use their laptop as a packet sniffer, would it make the hub more insecure than a switch?

 

[drebo]

You answered your own question.

 

[spidey07]

In a sense, yes. But it is trivial to make a switch flood all frames basically making it a hub if you wanted to. If this is work then make sure network and or security will even let you do such a thing.

Users plugging in their own network equipment has brought down many a network and resulted in many a termination.

 

[SpunkyJones]

Just tell IT you need a switch.

 

[Tarrant64]

Originally posted by: SpunkyJones
Just tell IT you need a switch.

Yup. Give them the explanation and a lot of times they can do this for you. We do it where I work as long as we have good enough reason. Often we have some extra's laying around that we "loan" out with a signature or whatever.

Use a switch.

 

[Jamsan]

Your co-worker would only be able to sniff the traffic (easily) if he was also plugged into the hub. Would that be the case? If so, then yes, it can easily be done.

If you're hub was plugged into the ethernet drop, and your devices were the only thing on the hub, he would have to employ other tactics to gain access to your traffic.

 

[fwacct4]

Originally posted by: Jamsan
Your co-worker would only be able to sniff the traffic (easily) if he was also plugged into the hub. Would that be the case? If so, then yes, it can easily be done.

If you're hub was plugged into the ethernet drop, and your devices were the only thing on the hub, he would have to employ other tactics to gain access to your traffic.

I see. So anything connected to the uplink won't get easily sniffed, only the devices on the hub get all the traffic directed to and from the hub ports.