Week 2 Flashcards
______ is software that enters a computer system without the user’s knowledge or consent and then performs an unwanted and usually harmful action.
Malware
________ changes its internal code to one of a set number
of predefined mutations whenever it is executed.
Oligomorphic malware
Malware code that completely changes from its original form whenever it is executed is known as __________.
polymorphic malware
_________ can actually rewrite its own code and thus appears different each time it is executed.
Metamorphic malware
Some malware has as its primary trait spreading rapidly to other systems in order to impact a large number of users.
Circulation
Once the malware reaches a system through circulation, then it must “infect” or embed itself into that system.
Infection
Some malware has as its primary trait avoiding detection by concealing its presence from scanners.
Concealment
When __________ are the primary focus of malware, the focus is on what nefarious action(s) the malware performs.
Payload capabilities
Three types of malware have the primary traits of circulation and/or infection.
viruses, worms, and Trojans.
A biological virus is an agent that reproduces inside a cell. When a cell is infected by a virus, the virus takes over the operation of that cell, converting it into a virtual factory to make more copies of it.
Viruses
Instead of inserting pieces of the decryption engine throughout the program code, some viruses split the malicious code itself into several parts (along with one main body of code), and then these parts are placed at random positions throughout the program code.
Split infection.
Instead of having a single “jump” instruction to the “plain” virus code, some armored viruses perform two actions to make detection more difficult.
Swiss cheese infection
A second type of malware that has as its primary purpose to spread is a ______.
Worm
According to ancient legend, the Greeks won the Trojan War by hiding soldiers in a large hollow wooden horse that was presented as a gift to the city of Troy.
Trojans
A computer _____________ is an executable program that masquerades as performing a benign activity but also does something malicious.
Trojan horse (or just Trojan)