What is a common use for network monitoring tools like Wireshark?

Network monitoring tools like Wireshark are primarily used to capture and analyze network traffic in real-time. This function is critical for identifying and mitigating potential security threats. By examining the data packets that traverse a network, these tools can help detect unusual patterns or anomalies that may indicate malicious behavior, such as unauthorized access attempts, data exfiltration, or other network intrusions.

This analyzing capability is essential for cybersecurity professionals who need to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of their networks. In contrast, managing firewall settings typically involves configuring access controls rather than monitoring traffic, hardware failure rates pertain more to the physical aspects of networking equipment rather than the data being transmitted, and running performance tests on servers focuses on server operation rather than network security.