Topic 6: Network Security Flashcards
What is active hacking
Where the hacker attempts to modify or delete data, or to prevent a network from operating correctly.
What is passive hacking
Where the hacker monitors a network in order to gain information.
What is external hacking
Where someone outside of an organisation attempts to hack its network.
What is internal hacking
Where someone within an organisation attempts to hack its network.
What do viruses do
Programs embedded (hidden) within other files. They replicate themselves and become part of other programs. Viruses often cause damage by deleting or modifying data.
What is malware
Malware is malicious software that is designed to hack a system
What do worms do
Programs similar to viruses except that they are not hidden within other files. Worms often spread through emails.
What do trojans do
Programs which pretend to be legitimate but in reality are malware. They are often disguised as email attachments. Trojans cannot spread by themselves - instead they deceive a user into installing the program.
What does spyware do
Programs that monitor user activities (such as websites visited, usernames and passwords used) and send the information back to a hacker.
What does ransomeware do
Programs that attempt to blackmail a user into making a payment to a hacker.
What does phishing do
Emails that try to trick users into giving away personal details. The phishing email pretends to be a genuine message and tries to deceive the user into following a link to a website that looks like the real company, for example, a bank. However, it is a fake website designed to catch data such as bank account numbers and security codes.
How does brute force work
Where a program is used to find a password by trying all possible combinations of characters until the correct one is obtained.
How does Denial of Service work
Where a computer (or many computers) is used to prevent a server from performing its tasks. This makes it very difficult for it to respond to legitimate requests.
How does SQL injection work
Where SQL code is entered as a data input. Many databases use SQL code to interrogate the data and maintain the structure. SQL code can be inputted as data, which can cause errors or unintended operations.
What is poor network policy
Where a network does not have security rules in place for users to follow.
How do people cause harm to their device
People frequently ignore rules, or accidentally or deliberately break them. They also may send and receive personal emails which may contain viruses.
How does penetration testing make a system more secure
The purpose of penetration testing is to determine how
resilient a network is against an attack. It involves authorised users (sometimes an external party or organisation) who probe the network for potential weaknesses and attempt to exploit them.
How does network forensics make system more secure
Network forensics involves monitoring the traffic on a network. At regular intervals transmitted data packets are copied. The copy and information about the packet are then stored for later analysis.
How do user access levels make a system more secure
Access levels determine the facilities a user has access to, such as:
-software
-email
-internet access
-documents and data
-the ability to install and/or remove software
-the ability to maintain other users’ accounts
How do you use passwords in order to make a system more secure
Use a secure password that is not easy to guess, and that requires at least eight characters, including at least one uppercase letter, one number and one special character. This reduces the chances of someone easily working out what the password is.
How do you use encryption in order to make a system more secure
Encryption is the process of disguising data so that it cannot be understood. Even if a hacker gains access to encrypted data, they will not be able to understand it.
How do you use anti-malware in order to make a system more secure
Anti malware detects the malware installed and prevents it from bring installed by removing it from the system
How do you use firewalls in order to make a system more secure
A firewall is a tool that monitors traffic going into and out of a computer or network, and either allows the traffic to pass through or blocks it. A firewall stops unauthorised traffic entering and leaving a network.
What is a black box hacker
A black box hacker tries to infiltrate a system with no insights into the code, architecture, or system design in order to identify any weaknesses of the system
What is a white box hacker
A white box hacker acts as a knowledgeable insider, attempting to attack an application based on intimate knowledge of its code and environment in order to find any weaknesses within the system.
