The Cisco Sniffing detection rule is designed to monitor changes related to the configuration of network monitoring or packet capture features in Cisco devices, specifically focusing on the setup or modification of monitor sessions and SPAN (Switched Port Analyzer) or RSPAN (Remote Switched Port Analyzer) configurations. These actions can indicate potential credential access or discovery attacks, as adversaries may utilize these techniques to intercept network traffic and gather sensitive information. The rule triggers whenever the specified keywords related to monitor captures or SPAN configurations are identified within Cisco AAA logs, helping network defenders to detect suspicious activities that may compromise network integrity. The monitoring is crucial as the presence of unauthorized monitoring configurations could lead to data breaches or unauthorized access to sensitive information.