ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Promiscuous traffic

Promiscuous traffic is when computer devices listen to all the communication happening on a network instead of just listening to the ones meant for them. Imagine you are sitting in a crowded classroom and your teacher is talking to the whole class. You can hear everything your teacher is saying, but you also hear what your classmates are whispering to each other. That's sort of like promiscuous traffic.

Now, in the case of computer devices, they use a network to communicate with each other. When one device sends a message or data to another device, the message is supposed to only be heard by the intended recipient. However, sometimes, other devices can also hear it, even if it's not meant for them.

This can happen for a number of reasons, such as when there's a problem with the network or the devices themselves. It can also sometimes be done intentionally by hackers or security researchers who want to monitor the traffic on a network to find vulnerabilities or possible security breaches.

In any case, promiscuous traffic can be a security risk as it might expose sensitive information to unauthorized parties. However, it can also be a useful tool for network administrators who want to monitor the traffic on their networks to ensure everything is working as it should be.