What characterizes a man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack?

A man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack is characterized by the interception of communication between two parties by an unauthorized entity. In this scenario, the attacker effectively positions themselves between the sender and the receiver, allowing them to listen to or manipulate the communication without either party realizing that the communication has been compromised.

This type of attack can take various forms, such as eavesdropping on unencrypted communication, session hijacking, or even altering the messages being exchanged. The unauthorized party may gain access to sensitive information, such as login credentials or personal data, resulting in potential data breaches or identity theft.

The other options describe scenarios that do not align with the nature of MitM attacks. Direct access to a secure server implies controlled access rather than interception, immediate deletion of data does not relate to the principles of interception of communication, and a complete takeover of a user's device represents a different kind of attack that goes beyond mere interception of communications. Thus, the defining feature of a MitM attack is the unauthorized interception of communications occurring between two legitimate parties.