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The type of attack described involves the attacker creating independent connections with users and relaying their messages to deceive them, which aligns perfectly with the characteristics of a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack. In a MitM attack, the attacker intercepts and potentially alters the communication between two parties without their knowledge. This can deceive users into believing they are having a secure conversation with one another when, in reality, their exchanges are being monitored and manipulated by the attacker. The attacker essentially becomes a 'man in the middle' who can read, insert, and modify messages traveling between the two parties.

This method is particularly effective because it exploits trust between users, allowing the attacker to relay messages back and forth, possibly injecting malicious content or gaining sensitive information. Understanding this form of attack is vital in digital forensics as it highlights the importance of encryption and secure communication protocols to protect data integrity and confidentiality.