1.4 Network security Flashcards
Malware
Software that damages/deletes data
Can be prevented using encryption
Viruses
A type of malware which is installed without your knowledge.
It is a program that embeds itself in other programs infecting them
It can then spread to other users and computers if an infected file is sent to someone else.
Worms
A standalone program that does not need to attach itself to an existing program to spread.
It may scan the internet automatically looking for other computers to infect.
Trojans
A program which masquerades as having one legitimate purpose but has another.
Normally spread by email where the user is invited to click on a link for some routine or interesting purpose which then executes a program which may give the controlled unauthorised access to that computer.
Social Engineering
Tricking or persuading individuals into revealing confidential or personal information such as passwords or bank details.
Phishing
Emails designed to steal money, get login details or steal identity
Brute-Force Attacks
A program attempting all possible password combinations
Can be prevented using a strong password or a set number of password attempts
Data Interception and Theft
Data interception is where data that has been transmitted has been read by an unauthorised user or program
Difficult to prevent interception but the data can be protected using encryption
Denial of Service Attacks
DoS attacks are an attempt to prevent legitimate users from accessing a website.
One method used is to flood a company’s network with useless traffic.
The network will soon become overloaded and can crash or appear unresponsive.
The Concept of SQL Injection
A technique that exploits security weaknesses in a website
It achieves this by inserting malicious code into a database field on a website.
Such attacks can be used to corrupt or disable targeted websites or spread viruses and other malware.
They may also be designed to steal information such as credit card numbers
Penetration Testing
Testing that is used to find any security weaknesses in a system.
The strategy is to gather information about the target of possible attacks, identify possible entry points, attempt to break in and report back findings.
An external penetration test could target email servers, web servers or firewalls.
An internal penetration test puts the tester in the position of an employee with standard access rights, to determine how much damage a disgruntled or dishonest employee could cause.
Anti-Virus
Identifies viruses
Compares data to a database of spyware
Alerts user and requests actions
Deletes spyware
Stops the download of spyware
Anti-Malware Software
Identifies viruses/spyware/malware
Compares data to a database of malware
Alerts users and requests actions
Deletes viruses/malware
Stops the download of viruses/malware
Firewalls
Scans incoming and outgoing traffic
Compares traffic to a criteria
Blocks traffic that is unauthorised
Blocks incoming/outgoing traffic
User Access Levels
Data can be read/write/read-write
Prevents accidental changes
Limits data users can access
