Threats to networks *

Question 1

What is an active form of attack?

Answer 1

where the hacker attempts to modify or delete data, or prevent a network from operating properly

Question 2

What is eavesdropping?

Answer 2

where the hacker monitors a network in order to gain information

Question 3

What is an external form of attack?

Answer 3

where someone outside of an organisation attempts to hack its network

Question 4

What is an internal form of attack?

Answer 4

where someone within an organisation attempts to hack its network

Question 5

List the 6 techniques used to hack a network

Answer 5

• malware
• phishing
• brute force
• denial of service
• data interception and theft
• SQL injection (Structured Query Language)

Question 6

What is malware?

Answer 6

a malicious software that is designed to hack a system

Question 7

What are the 5 types of malware?

Answer 7

• viruses
• worms
• trojans
• spyware
• ransomeware

Question 8

Malware

What are viruses? (2 points)

How do they harm a network?

Answer 8

programs hidden within other files
they replicate themselves and become part of other programs

delete or modify data

Question 9

Malware

What are worms?

How are they often spread?

Answer 9

programs similar to viruses except they aren’t hidden within other files

often spread through emails

Question 10

Malware

What are trojans?

What do they do instead of replicating?

Answer 10

programs which pretend to be legitimate and are often disguised in email attachments

trojans can’t replicate themselves, but trick user into installing the program

Question 11

Malware

What is spyware?

Answer 11

programs that monitor user activities and send the information back to a hacker

Question 12

Malware

What is ransomware?

Answer 12

programs that attempt to blackmail a user into making a payment to a hacker

Question 13

Malware

What are botnets?

Answer 13

a network of infected computers all under the control of a hacker

Question 14

What is phishing?

Answer 14

emails that trick users into giving away personal details
eg. convincing them into putting their details into a fake bank account website

Question 15

What is brute force?

Answer 15

a program is used to find a password by trying all the possible combinations until one is correct

Question 16

What can a hacker do using a brute force attack?

Answer 16

• hack into websites
• deface websites
• crash servers
• email spam to millions of users
• steal your personal information

Question 17

What are the three types of brute force attack?

Answer 17

• dictionary attack - use list of common words and phrases
• password spraying - common passwords, large numbers of computers at once
• botnets - control multiple computers at once

Question 18

What is denial of service (DOS)?

Answer 18

where a computer (or many computers) are used to prevent a server from performing its tasks
bombards server over and over with requests, until server is occupied trying to handle fake requests and doesn’t answer legitimate ones

Question 19

What is data interception?

Answer 19

where data is intercepted during transmission
done using software called packet sniffer, which examines packets as they are sent around a network or across the internet
information gathered and sent back to hacker

Question 20

What information can be obtained through data interception?

Answer 20

• payment data (eg. bank details)
• passwords and personal details to hack into accounts and sell to third parties for identity theft

Question 21

What is SQL?

Answer 21

Structured Query Language

an SQL code is entered as a data input
cause errors or unintended operations

Question 22

What can hackers do using an SQL injection? (4 things)

Answer 22

• steal credentials
• access databases
• alter data
• delete data