Web Traffic Security and Eavesdropping

[mojorising <moj0rising () aim com>]

Hi, there. We all know many web sites out there encrypt connections with SSL
to prevent eavesdropping on user sessions. In a conversation about this
today while securing web services/ applications of one of our sites, a
friend asked how such a thing is possible if the eavesdropper is not on the
same network as the end-user or server being watched. I couldn't provide a
very good answer and was wondering if anyone out there could. We know how
easy it would be if you were on the same network or had access to one of the
nodes on either end or even, perhaps, a switch or router, etc in between
those two points.

Basically, the question is, can someone out there in the big, bad, internet
somehow watch all traffic going to and from another node on the internet
(like a web server for example) without being on the same local network as
the node they are watching? I'm quite sure the answer to this is yes and if
yes, then how is it done?


Thanks,
Mike