Which network attack is the researcher MOST likely experiencing if they receive a connection issue while using SSH?

Receiving a connection issue while using SSH can indicate the presence of a man-in-the-middle attack. This type of attack occurs when a malicious actor intercepts the communication between the client and server, potentially altering the data or credentials exchanged during the session. Since SSH is designed to provide a secure channel, any disruption or abnormal behavior in the connection can signal that an attacker is attempting to intervene and manipulate the session.

When a connection issue arises with SSH, it raises the concern that the integrity and confidentiality of the communication may be compromised. The attacker could be intercepting the initial key exchange process or relaying information without the user’s consent, which is typical behavior in a man-in-the-middle scenario.

Other types of attacks mentioned, such as MAC cloning, evil twin, and ARP poisoning, do not directly relate to SSH connection issues in the same way. While they can cause disruptions or lead to security vulnerabilities on a network, they usually manifest through different symptoms or issues. For instance, MAC cloning involves spoofing the MAC address to gain unauthorized access, evil twin refers to a rogue Wi-Fi access point mimicking a legitimate one, and ARP poisoning affects how devices resolve network addresses but are not specifically tied to SSH connectivity problems.