An in-Depth Analysis of Email Protocols Traffic Using Wireshark

This paper aims to get an in-depth analysis of IP packets containing Email protocols using the packet sniffing tools such as Wireshark. In the current era email communication is one of the most widely used medium for both professional & personal communication, which makes it an attractive target for cybercrime. For any Organization it is important for network administrators to keep an eye on traffic flowing over the mail network. By analyzing email protocol packets, it is possible to detect malicious activities and identify potential security threats, which helps in improving network security and performance. It also helps in tracing the origin, path, and authenticity of emails in the event of a security breach. The paper provides an overview of the Wireshark packet sniffing tool, it's features and capabilities along with the methodology proposed to analyze the email protocol packets. In addition to that, it also highlights the challenges and limitations associated and future courses of action.