1.2 Flashcards
Given a senario, analyze potential indicators to determine the type of attack
Malware
Malicious software, can do anything from gathering keystrokes, controlling affected pcs, to showing advertisements, and encrypting your data.
Virus
Malware that can reproduce itself, but it requires the user to execute the program that contains the virus. It than reproduces the filesystem or network to reproduce and spread.
Program Virus
Virus that is part of an application
Boot sector virus
Virus that lives in the boot sector of the storage device. It starts when the OS is started.
Script Vrius
Operating system and browser based scripts, powershell ext.
Macro Virus
Common in Microsoft Office apps, utalizes macros at startup of application. Hides in simple files like xml, docs, ext.
Fileless virus
A stealth attack, doesn’t actually save to the storage drive. It instead operates souley in the memory of the PC. Usually from clicking a malicious link on a website, then it exploits a flash/java/windows vulnerability. It than launches powershell and downloads payload in ram.
Worms
Malware that self-replicates, uses network as transmission. Can do so without user activation
Ransomware
A type of malware attack that holds your data ransom, sometimes by just making the user think they are locked out from their data.
Crypto-malware
A newer generation of ransomware that makes your data unavailable by encrypting your data until you provide cash.
Protect Against Ransomeware
1) Always have a backup - ideally offline
2) Keep operationg system up to date
3) Keep aplications up to date
4) Keep antivirus/anti malware up to date
Trojan Horse
A software that pretends to be something else
Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)
Often installed along with other software, many different types that include intrusive toolbars, adware, ext
Remote Access Trojans (RATs)
Aka Remote Administration Tool, gives attacker administrative control of a device.
Rootkits
Modifies core system files part of the kernel.
Finding and removing rootkits
Secure boot with UEFI adds additional boot security.
Adware
May cause performance issues, especially over the network by spamming your pc with ads. Often times they are PUPs.
Spyware
Malware that spies on you, usually it is a trojan horse.
Bots
Once your machine it becomes a bot, used by an attack usually alongside other infected other bots from the C&C server (Command and Control)
Botnets
A group of bots working together, often times utilizing a Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDos)
Logic Bomb
Waits for a predefined event and issues a command. Often left by someone with a grudge.
Plaintext/ Unencrypted password
Some applications store passwords “in the clear” Never store passwords as plaintexts
Hashing a password
Hashes represents data as a fixed-length string of text
Brute force
Try every possible password combination until the has is matched. It either attacks a password at a login prompt - which is harder as it will usually get locked out after a few attempts -, or by obtaining the password hash.