System Security Flashcards
Threats / Attack Methods
Malware
Phishing
People as a ‘weak point’
Brute Force Attacks
Denial of Service Attacks
Data Interception
SQL Interjections
Poor network policies
Different types of Malware
Viruses
Spyware
Adware
Pharming
Viruses
Viruses are small programs which aim to cause physical harm to a computer system.
They often get confused with spyware (which simply spy’s on users, recording key strokes etc. but do not aim to harm the system – just the user).
Standard Virus
These hide in files / programs and replicate themselves in order to spread into other programs / files. Their aim is usually to delete or damage data.
Worms Virus
These don’t necessarily damage data, instead they simply try to replicate themselves, using more and more of the computer’s resources, slowing down your computer and making it useless.
Trojan Virus
Trojan Virus
These are often programs (such as a game) which you can use. But in the background they will cause harm, like deleting your files, making annoying changes to your computer setup or creating a portal for other users to use in order to gain access to your system
Spyware
Spyware’s aim is to spy on the user and send back as much information about them as possible (passwords, usernames, websites they visit, purchases they have made).
The reason for collecting this data is so that ‘senders’ of the spyware can use this information to steal your identification or sell your information to third parties who will then target you with advertisements.
Adware
Like spyware, this type of malware doesn’t physically deleted or corrupt a systems data.
Instead its aim is to download and display unwanted adverts and collect marketing information about your online habits.
It will often also try to direct you to unwanted websites by changing your default homepage.
Pharming
Pharming malware seeks to change the IP address stored in the DNS (or cached on our computer) to another IP address so that the user is sent to a phoney website instead of the one they intended.
Scareware
This kind of malware often comes in the form of a pop up telling you that you have a virus. The pop up will them advertise purchasable software hoping that you will pass over your money.
Ransomware
This malware will seek to lock your computer making it useless. It will then demand that you pay a sum of money in order for you to get your computer working again.
Rootkits
These pieces of malware contain a set of tools, which once installed, allow a criminal to access your computer at an administrator level, allowing them to do pretty much what they like.
Phishing
Phishing seeks to acquire sensitive information about a user such as their usernames, passwords, bank details etc.
The way in which this is done is usually through the form of direct electronic communications (emails / phone calls).
These emails or phone calls try to impersonate legitimate companies (such as banks) and ask you to give away sensitive information.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is the act of manipulating people and is often used by criminals to force people to make mistakes which can compromise a network’s security.
Brute Force Attacks
A Brute Force Attack is were criminals will use trial and error to hack an account by trying thousands of different possible passwords against a particular username.
They will repeatedly try to ‘login’ with one password after another.
This threat can be easily reduced by ensuring that a system locks an account if more than three unsuccessful password attempts have been made.
