Chapter 11 Computer Security And Risks Flashcards
What is meant by computer security?
The protection of computing systems and data from unauthorized access, change & destructions
What are the different types of computer crime?
1) Cybercrime: Any crime using computers or networks
2) Cyberstalking: repeatedly harm or harass people on the internet
3) Cyber bullying: targeting children and young adults online involving humiliation, rumors, lies, or threats
4) Intellectual property theft: (software piracy, file sharing of copyrighted songs, illegal duplication, plagiarism)
What is meant by spoofing?
Trick that target to extract secret information
E.g. Making a phone call and posing as an internet technician, to extract sensitive data (passwords)
What is meant by shoulder surfing?
Is a type of social engineering technique used to obtain information by looking over the victim’s shoulder.
E.g. Passwords and other confidential data
What is meant by phishing?
Is the act of attempting to acquire sensitive information by masquerading as a trust worthy entity in an electronic communication, Sending an email posing as a bank representative and asking to fill a fake bank web form.
Adults sites asking users to reveal credit card numbers to prove age
What is meant by identity theft?
The extraction of personal information to commit a crime in another persons identity
You can protect yourself by:
- Use separate credit card for online use
- Use secure websites (https://)
- Don’t disclose personal info on phone
- Handle email with care
- Copy your cards to get replacement in case stolen
- Report Identity theft promptly
What is a software sabotage?
Malicious software:
Malware used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems via:
1) Viruses
2) Worms
3) Trojan horses
4) Spyware
5) Ransomware
What is a virus?
Malware that are attached to a file/program and spread when files are exchanged via email attachments or flash drives, When the program is opened/executed it:
1) Damages the Operating system
2) Destroys or steals data
3) Display annoying pop-up messages
- It maybe OS specific but newer types are cross-platform.
Macro viruses: attach themselves to documents containing macros, which are a set of commands to automate repetitive tasks, like MS Office files, Melissa virus (1999)
What is meant by worms?
- Independent programs
- Capable of reproducing themselves
- Causes memory freeze
- Spreads through the internet
Famous example is the code Red (2001) which attacked the internet running Microsoft servers
What is meant by Trojan horse?
Disguise themselves as useful programs or apps, but has hidden destructive program (viruses)
- Often posted in shareware
- Names sound like games or utilities
- Act as a backdoor allowing the attacker to control your PC to delete/change/share data
E.g. time bomb – triggered by a date or time-related event
What is meant by ransomware?
Malware that locks your computer and encrypts data in your hard drive, Demanding you to pay a ransom to unblock the files again getting hacked often by opening an infected email attachment or malicious link
Attackers usually ask you to pay the ransom using digital currencies, such as Bitcoin because it is untraceable
Who are the hackers? And what are the types of hackers?
Hackers are people who break into computer systems or networks, controlling computers or steal personal information to commit identity theft, type of hackers are:
1) Black-Hat hackers
Criminals develop new techniques to penetrate systems to gain illegal access or destroy information
2) White-Hat hackers
Security experts developing new techniques to protect us.
For non-malicious reasons such as to expose/test the system weaknesses.
What is a zombie computers?
Internet connected computers that have been hijacked using viruses to perform malicious acts without the knowledge of the owners
What is meant by botnets?
Group of software programs called bots that Run automatically on zombie computers to perform malicious acts without knowledge of the owners
What is meant by distributed denial of service (DDoS)?
- Bombards servers and web sites with traffic that shuts them down, using thousands of zombie computers (botnets)
- Authorized users cannot use their computer
