Chapter 3: Threat Factors - Computers as Targets

Question 1

What are the 3 Phases of Convergence?

Answer 1

1) Separate the people
2) Leverage technology
3) Replace people

Question 2

Explain “Separate People” as it r/t Convergence?

Answer 2

• Aka sneakerware because people had to physically take a floppy disk or other external hard drive & walk to a computer to transfer a malware onto the computer
• First Macintosh virus, Elk Cloner, was part of a video game for computers inserted via a floppy disk

Question 3

Explain “Leverage Technology” as it r/t Convergence?

Answer 3

• Fraudsters developed the first email born viruses, such as the ILOVEYOU & the Melissa virus, which spread via email attachments
• Code Red attacked Microsoft computer systems & spread to other systems by using HTTP requests

Question 4

Explain “Replace People” as it r/t Convergence?

Answer 4

People do not have to be physically present in one country to spy out information on computers in other country; in stead, they can infiltrate computers & steal information by using computer programs such as Trojan horses

Question 5

What are the main targets in Information Technology?

Answer 5

1) Software
2) Hardware
3) Network

Question 6

What are examples of Attacks on Software?

Answer 6

• Infected download links of software or software updates
• Malicious apps
• Drive-by downloads

Question 7

What are examples of Devices for Software?

Answer 7

o Computers
o Computer networks
o Smart devices

Question 8

What are examples of Countermeasures for Software?

Answer 8

o Anti-virus software
o Security patches
o Data backup
o Software screening

Question 9

What are examples of Attacks on Hardware?

Answer 9

• Manufacturing backdoors
• Backdoor creation
• Access to protected memory
• Hardware modification
• Inducing faults
• Counterfeiting products

Question 10

What are examples of Devices for Hardware?

Answer 10

o Access control systems
o Network appliances
o Industrial control systems
o Surveillance systems
o Components of communication infrastructure

Question 11

What are examples of Countermeasures for Hardware?

Answer 11

o Tightly control production
o Use detection measures to discover compromised hardware

Question 12

What are examples of Attacks on Network?

Answer 12

• Denial-of-service attacks
• The Man in the Middle
• Browser
• Brute Force
• SSL
• Scan
• Domain Name Servers
• Backdoor

Question 13

What are examples of Devices for Networks?

Answer 13

o Computers
o Modem
o Router

Question 14

What are examples of Countermeasures for Networks?

Answer 14

o Network-based mitigation
o Host-based mitigation
o Proactive measures

Question 15

What are the 3 main issues Cybersecurity is concerned with?

Answer 15

1) Confidentiality
2) Integrity
3) Availability

Question 16

What are the 3 Threat Clusters?

Answer 16

1) Technological
2) Socio-political
3) Human-machine

Question 17

What is the Technological Cluster?

Answer 17

Computers are the target of the cybercrime – mainly malware, such as viruses & worms

Question 18

What is the Socio-political Cluster?

Answer 18

Includes crimes where computers are used as a tool, such as phishing or identity theft

Question 19

What is the Human-machine Cluster?

Answer 19

Focuses on computer infrastructure & vulnerabilities created through our dependence on computers & networks

Question 20

What are the 2 functions that malware fulfills?

Answer 20

1) Spreads itself
2) Causes damage

Question 21

How does malware spread itself?

Answer 21

Via email attachments embedded in web pages, file sharing, infected CDs or DVDs, or by scanning a computer or network for exploitable vulnerabilities

Question 22

How does malware cause damage?

Answer 22

• Trivial damage – message that pops up on the screen every time the user starts the computer
• Debilitating – destroying files, taking the computer hostage, stealing data & passwords to facilitate other crimes (identify theft)
• Other damages: computer as a slave to send spam to other documents, to host illegal data, to attack other computers, or to extort others

Question 23

What are the 5 main reasons for the increase in threats to mobile devices?

Answer 23

1) Increase in smartphones
2) Android devices & open-source technology
3) Users store more information on these devices
4) Hardware has become more sophisticated
5) Programming software more similar to PCs

Question 24

What are the 3 main forms of malware?

Answer 24

1) Computer viruses
2) Worms
3) Trojan horses

Question 25

What is a Virus?

Answer 25

Small software program designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation

Question 26

What are the 3 main types of Viruses?

Answer 26

1) Shell viruses
2) Add-on viruses
3) Intrusive viruses

Question 27

What do Shell Viruses do?

Answer 27

Form a shell around the original code & the original host program w/ the purpose to take over the functions of the host program

Question 28

What do Add-On Viruses do?

Answer 28

• Attach to the original code, changing the startup information of the program
• Viral code then executes before the original code, interfering w/ the program that the user attempts to run

Question 29

What do Intrusive Viruses do?

Answer 29

Overwrite the original code, which can make the host program dysfunctional

Question 30

What are Advanced Persistent Threats (APT)?

Answer 30

Virus -
* Cyber attacks executed by sophisticated & well-resourced adversaries targeting specific information in high-profile companies & governments, usually in a long-term campaign involving different steps

Question 31

What are the 5 risks created by Viruses?

Answer 31

1) Disable computers
2) Send spam
3) Provide access to computer & information on the computer
4) Steal personal information
5) Hijack the user’s web browser

Question 32

What is a worm?

Answer 32

A self-replicating virus that does not alter files but resides in active memory and duplicates itself