Threats and Attacks

Question 1

What type of security threats and attacks are there?

Answer 1

• Unintentional
• Intentional

Question 2

What are some examples of unintentional threats and attacks?

Answer 2

• Coding faults
• Operational faults
• Environmental faults

Question 3

What are some examples of intentional security threats and attacks?

Answer 3

(Malicious code)
- Trojan horses
- Trap doors
- Viruses
- Worms

Question 4

What is physical security?

Answer 4

It’s when we restrict access to an object by physical means.

Question 5

Why is it bad to neglect physical security?

Answer 5

This can undermine other security mechanisms that protect a system. Pointless to have a good file-protection system if the hardware the file is stored on is easily accessible.

Question 6

What are is a human factor that contribute to weak security?

Answer 6

Users can undermine system security through their naivete, laziness or dishonesty.

Question 7

What is program security?

Answer 7

A set of conditions that programs that run on a computer are:
- written correctly
- installed and configured properly
- used in the way they were intended
- properly behaved (malicious code)

Question 8

What are some examples of malicious code?

Answer 8

• Trojan horses
• Traps doors
• viruses
• worms

Question 9

What are trojan horses?

Answer 9

A trojan horse is a program that is disguised as legitimate program but secretly has a malicious feature.

Question 10

What is a root kit?

Answer 10

A collection of Trojan Horse programs that replace a range of system utility programs. With the goal to secretly take over a users system.

Question 11

What is a trap door?

Answer 11

Flaws that designers place in programs so that specific security checks are not performed under certain circumstances.

Question 12

What is a virus?

Answer 12

A fragment of code created to spread copies of itself to other programs

Question 13

What does a virus require to spread?

Answer 13

A host (typically a program)

Question 14

What is the goal of a virus?

Answer 14

To spread and infect as many hosts as possible.

Question 15

What can viruses also do apart from spread?

Answer 15

They may have added malicious instructions that are run every time the viruses code is executed, such as deleting files or killing other running programs.

Question 16

How do you detect for viruses?

Answer 16

Virus scanning programs check files for signatures of know viruses.

Question 17

What is a virus signature?

Answer 17

Some unique fragment of code from the virus that appears in every infected file.

Question 18

What are polymorphic viruses?

Answer 18

Viruses that change their appearance each time they infect a new file.

Question 19

What is a worm?

Answer 19

A stand-alone program that can replicate itself and spread.

Question 20

What is the difference between a worm and a virus?

Answer 20

A worm remains on a single machine whereas viruses spreads from host to host, network to network.

Question 21

What is buffer overflow attack?

Answer 21

Put more data into a variable than the space has to hold, making it leak out and overwriting other data.

Question 22

What is the result of a buffer overflow attack?

Answer 22

Alteration of data or execution of arbitrary code.

Question 23

What are digital signatures?

Answer 23

Digital signatures are cryptographic techniques used to provide authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation for digital messages or documents

Question 24

Describe digital signatures authentication property:

Answer 24

Authentication verifies the identity of the user. Ensuring the origin of the signed message is legit and can be trusted.

Question 25

Describe the integrity property of digital signatures:

Answer 25

Digital signatures ensure integrity of the signed data. Integrity ensures that the content of the message has not been tampered with.

Question 26

Describe the non-repudiation property of digital signatures:

Answer 26

Non-repudiation prevents the signer from denying their involvement of the signed message. Crucial in legal and business contexts.

Question 27

What is Cross Site Scripting (XSS)?

Answer 27

Attacker injects client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.

Question 28

Give an overview of the XSS procedure:

Answer 28

1. Attack discovers website vulnerability allowing script injections
2. Attack injects website with a malicious script that steals visitor’s session cookies
3. For each visit the malicious script is activated
4. Visitor’s session cookie send to attacker.

Question 29

What is Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)?

Answer 29

An attack that forces an end user to execute unwanted actions on a web application in which they’re currently authenticated

Question 30

What is phishing attacks?

Answer 30

The attempt to obtain sensitive information for malicious reasons by disguising themselves as a trustworthy entity in electronic communication

Question 31

What are various forms of phishing attacks?

Answer 31

• Spear
• Clone
• Phone

Question 32

What is a spear phishing attack?

Answer 32

Attackers gather personal information about their target to increase their probability of success

Question 33

What is a clone phishing attack?

Answer 33

Attacks clone an earlier legitimate email and alter

Question 34

What is a phone phishing attack?

Answer 34

Attacker attempts to get user to call a number and then enter sensitive data

Question 35

What is a distrusted denial-of-service (DDoS) attack?

Answer 35

When an attacker tries to temporarily or permanently disrupt a service provided by a host, by making thousands of legitimate requests.