1.0 Threats, Attacks and Vulnerabilites Flashcards
Phishing
A broad term used to describe the fraudulent acquisition of information like credentials
Smishing
Phishing via SMS or text messages
Vishing
Phishing via the physical phone
Spam
This is a social engineering technique used to get users to open a message in an email/text to exploit malware.
Spam over instant messaging (SPIM)
This is spam that happens over email
Spear Phishing
Phishing while focusing on a particular group of people
Dumpster Diving
This is where people retrieve information by looking for it in the trash.
Shoulder Surfing
This is a technique used by gaining credentials by looking over someones shoulder in order to retrieve their information
Pharming
This redirects traffic away from legitimate websites to malicious versions.
Tailgating
This is a physical entry attack while following behind someone to gain access to a building/room.
Eliciting Information
a technique used to gather information without targets realizing they are providing it; examples of this include flattery
Whaling
This is phishing a specific person in an organization that is either an admin or someone high up.
Prepending
- Adding in a phrase such as safe to a set of email headers to attempt to fool someone into thinking the email is indeed safe.
- Adding information as part of another attack to manipulate the outcome
- Suggesting topics via a social engineering conversation to lead toward related information the social engineer is looking for.
Identity Fraud
This is the use of someone else’s identity
Invoice scams
This involves sending fake invoices to organizations in the hopes of receiving payment.
Credential harvesting
This is the process of gathering credentials like usernames and passwords. Multifactor authentication is a great way to stop credential harvesting from continuing.
Reconnaissance
This is the gathering of information about a target, whether it is an organization, individual or something else.
Hoax
These are intentional falsehoods that come in a variety of forms such as virus hoaxes to fake news.
Impersonation
A person acting like someone they are not
Watering Hole Attack
This uses websites that targets use to attack the victim, the attackers can compromise the site that the victims are using.
Typosquatting
Attackers using similar legit URL’s to direct victims to the attackers fake URL that houses malware.
pretexting
This is the process of using a made-up scenario to justify why you are approaching an individual
Influence Campaigns
Individuals and organizations conduct influence campaigns to turn public opinion in directions of their choosing.
Principles
Ransomware
This is malware that takes over a computer and then demands ransom such as money.
Trojan
This is a type of malware that is typically disguised as legitimate software.
Worms
These are a form of malware that spreads throughout systems via email attachments, file shares etc.
Potentially unwanted programs (PUP’s)
These are programs that may not be wanted by the user but are not as dangerous as other types of malware. These are typically installed without the users awareness or as part of a software bundle.
Fileless virus
This is a virus that acts the same as traditional viruses. They spread like spam email and malicious websites but at no point do they require local file storage.
Command and Control
These systems operate in a client-server mode. They will contact central control systems, which provide commands and updates, and track how many systems are in the botnet.
Bots
Remotely controlled systems or devices that have a malware infection
Cryptomalware
This encrypts files and then holds them hostage until a ransom is paid.
Logic Bombs
These are functions or code that is placed inside other programs that will activate when set conditions are met.
Spyware
This is malware that is designed to obtain information about an individual, organization or system
keyloggers
These are programs that capture keystrokes from keyboards or other things like mouse movement, touchscreen inputs or credit card swipes from attached devices.
Remote access Trojan (RAT)
This provides attackers with remote access to systems.
Rootkit
This is malware that is specifically designed to allow attackers to access a system through a backdoor.
Backdoor
These are methods or tools that provide access that bypasses normal authenitcation and authorization procedures, allowing attackers access to systems, devices or applications.
Spraying
This is a form of brute force attack that attempts to use a single password or small set of passwords against many accounts
Dictionary Attack
This is an attack that uses a list of words for their attempts. John the ripper is a popular open source password cracker.
Brute Force Attack
This iterates through passwords until the attack finds the one that works
Rainbow Table
This is an easily searchable database of precomputed hashes using the same hashing method as the captured password file.
Plaintext/unencrypted attack
This is when a password or other credentials are stored as plaintext and not in a hash value making it much easier for an attacker to find.
Malicious Universal
Serial Bus (USB) Cable
This is a usb cable that is compromised and can go undetected from a victims standpoint.
Malicious flash drive
Pen testers/attackers use this to drop drives in locations where they may be picked up and plugged in by unwitting victims
Card cloning
This focuses on capturing information from cards like RFID and magnetic stripe cards often used for entry access.
Skimming
This uses hidden or fake readers to capture cards, and then employ cloning tools to use credit cards and entry access cards for their own purposes.
Adversarial artificial intelligence (AI)
This is where AI is used by attackers for malicious purposes. The focus of this currently tends to deal with data poisoning
Supply chain attacks
Attempt to compromise devices, systems or software before it even reaches the organization.
Cryptographic Attacks
Birthday Attack
An attempt to find collisions in hash functions
Collision attack
Downgrade attack
This is used against secure communications such as TLS in an attempt to get the user or system to inadvertently shift to less secure cryptographic modes which may be easier to break.
Authority
This relies on the fact that most people will obey someone who appears to be in charge or knowledgable
Intimidation
Relies on scaring or bullying someone into making a decision
Consensus
Uses the fact that people tend to want to do what others are doing to persuade them to take an action
Scarcity
Used in scenarios that make something look more desirable because it may be the last one available
Familiarity
This is based on liking the individual or organization
Trust
This relies on connection with the individual they are targeting
Urgency
Relies on creating a feeling that the action must be taken quickly due to some reason
Cryptographic salts
A salt is random data that is used as an additional input to a hash password
