---
name: "msgsnarf"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "dsniff"
version: "2.4b1-34"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/msgsnarf"
---

# msgsnarf(8)

sniff chat messages

## NAME

msgsnarf - sniff chat messages

## SYNOPSIS

```

```

**msgsnarf** \[**-i** *interface* \| **-p** *pcapfile*\] \[\[**-v**\] *pattern \[expression*\]\]

## DESCRIPTION

**msgsnarf** records selected messages from AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ 2000, IRC, MSN Messenger, or Yahoo Messenger chat sessions.

## OPTIONS

- **-i** *interface*

  Specify the interface to listen on.

- **-p** *pcapfile*

  Process packets from the specified PCAP capture file instead of the network.

- **-v**

  "Versus" mode. Invert the sense of matching, to select non-matching messages.

- *pattern*

  Specify regular expression for message matching.

- *expression*

  Specify a [tcpdump(8)](/tcpdump/8.md) filter expression to select traffic to sniff.

## SEE ALSO

[dsniff(8)](/dsniff/8.md)

## AUTHOR

```
Dug Song <dugsong@monkey.org>
```