Chp 8: Cybersecurity threats

Question 1

What is the AIC triad?

Answer 1

Key cybersecurity objectives:
- Availability
- Integrity (of data and processing)
- Confidentiality

Question 2

What is malware?

Answer 2

Short for malicious software

Attempts to gain unauthorised access to organisations to steal information or cause damage

Question 3

What is a virus?

Answer 3

Malware that attaches to existing programmes and spreads as the programme is used

Usually require a target or host to ‘activate’ it

Question 4

What is a worm?

Answer 4

Similar to a virus but is it’s own standalone software

Also don’t require ‘activation’

Question 5

What are trojans?

Answer 5

Doesn’t spread once infiltrated but can operate a number of functions, including giving another user access

Question 6

What is a bot?

Answer 6

An automated oricess that can act in a number of ways, including acting as keyloggers, recording a users passwords

Question 7

What is a Malvertising?

Answer 7

An online advert that contains hidden malware

Question 8

What are six system defences against malware?

Answer 8

1. Perimeter defences - firewalls
2. Monitoring actions of emails
3. Segmentation
4. Gatekeeping controls - reCAPTCHA
5. Software updates
6. Back-up copies

Question 9

What are the following forms of cyberattacks?
- Spear Phishing
- Smishing
- Vishing
- DDoS

Answer 9

• Spear Phishing - phishing a single target thorugh email
• Smishing - phishing using text messages
• Vishing - phishing using phone calls
• DDoS - Distributed denial of service attacks attempt to flood a system with more activity than it can cope with

Question 10

What are the following forms of cyberattacks?
- Structured Query Languge Injection (SQL)
- XSS attacks
- Buffer overflow attacks

Answer 10

• Structured Query Languge Injection (SQL) - software that gains access through data entry, like an online sale
• XSS attacks - Cross-site scripting attacks, that embed malware in an innocent webiste which attacks an organisation when it goes on the website
• Buffer overflow attacks - a form of DDoS that is relatively simple

Question 11

What are the following terms?
- Ethical Hacker
- Unethical Hacker
- Social Engineering
- Grey-Hat Hacker
- Bug Bounty

Answer 11

• Ethical Hacker - finds weaknesses for their employer
• Unethical Hacker - malicious hackers
• Social Engineering - exploiting someones trust to gain access/data
• Grey-Hat Hacker - don’t work for an organisation but will find weaknesses and fix them for a fee
• Bug Bounty - a reward for anyone who finds a vulnerability in it’s system

Question 12

What six ways did Robert Cialdini suggest people are influenced?

Answer 12

1. Reciprocation
2. Commitment and consistency - avoiding being a hypocrite
3. Social proof - mimicking the behaviour of others around us
4. Liking - copying those we like
5. Authority - trusting authority
6. Scarcity - shortages can increase somethings value