cyber security Flashcards
what is malware?
malicous/harmful software, that is designed to cause harm or gain unauthorised access computer system
An umbrella term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or instructive software.
What are some threats to a computer system
- social engineering
- malware
What is social engineering ?
a way of gaining illegal access to data or networks by influencing people (normally employees or large companies)
The art of manipulating people so that they give up confidential information
what are some forms of social engineering?
- blagging
- pharming
- phishing
- shouldering
what are some typical actions of malware?
- deleting or modifying files
- locking files (ransomware encrypting all the files)
- unwanted adverts
- mo
What is Pharming?
redirects the user from a websites’s traffic to a fake website , in hope to gain personal information , to access their genuine account
How could you prevent pharming?
- anti-malware software , up to date
- internet browsers using web filters
*not clicking or links or attachments from unknown users
What Phishing?
A technique if fraudulently obtaining private information, often using email or SMS
emails are sent to the user claiming to be from well known business, asking for bank details
How to prevent phishing?
- emails have anti-phishing features
- you can spot bad grammar , or will ask to redirect to a link
What is shouldering?
looking over someone’s shoulder and watching and observing their activity /private information (pin details)
how can you reduce the risk of shouldering?
being discrete (covering the keypad when you enter the pin)
some softwares output astreiks instead of the symbol typed , on the screen
What is Blagging ? (Pretexting)
The act of creating and using an inverted scenario to engage a targeted victim in a manner that will increase the chance the victim will divulge information or perform actions that would be unlikely in ordinary circumstances.
how could you prevent blagging?
reduce the risk by using using security measures that cannot be given away,
eg: biometrics
what is penetration testing?
organisations employing specialists to stimulate potential attacks to their system, allowing them to identify their weaknesses in cyber security
The process of attempting to gain access to resources without knowledge of usernames, passwords and other normal means of access.
What is the difference between white and black penentration testing ?
white: when the person or team testing the system has knowledge of possibly basic credentials for the target system, stimulating an attack from inside the system (a malicious insider)
black: when the person of team testing the system has no knowledge of any credentials for the target system, stimulating an attack from outside the system (an external attack)
