HorizonTechX_BasicNetworkSniffer

Project Overview

This project is a Basic Network Sniffer developed using Python and Scapy as part of the Horizon TechX Cyber Security Internship.

The application captures network packets in real time and extracts useful information such as source IP address, destination IP address, and protocol type. Captured packet information is displayed on the console and saved to a log file for further analysis.

Objectives

• Understand how network packets travel through a network.
• Learn the fundamentals of packet sniffing.
• Analyze packet structure and protocol information.
• Gain practical experience with network monitoring tools.

Features

• Captures live network traffic.
• Displays source and destination IP addresses.
• Identifies common protocols such as TCP, UDP, and ICMP.
• Stores captured packet information in a text file.
• Real-time packet monitoring through the terminal.

Technologies Used

• Python 3
• Scapy
• Npcap (for Windows packet capture)

Installation

1. Install Python.
2. Install Scapy:

pip install scapy

3. Install Npcap with WinPcap compatibility enabled.
4. Run the program as Administrator.

Usage

Execute the following command:

python network_sniffer.py

The program will start capturing packets and display network information in real time.

Sample Output

Packet #1 Source IP: 192.168.1.10 Destination IP: 142.250.xxx.xxx Protocol: TCP

Project Structure

HorizonTechX_BasicNetworkSniffer/

├── network_sniffer.py

├── captured_packets.txt

├── README.md

└── screenshots/

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding packet capture techniques.
• Identifying network protocols.
• Working with Scapy for cybersecurity applications.
• Logging and analyzing network traffic.

Conclusion

This project successfully demonstrates the fundamentals of packet sniffing and network traffic analysis. It provides practical exposure to cybersecurity concepts and helps build a foundation for advanced network security tools and techniques.