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Malicious Attacks. Introduction. Commonly referred to as: malicious software/ “malware”, computer viruses Designed to enter computers without the owner’s permission. Background. Started out as “pranks,” more annoying than harmful, created by programmers to see range until around 1999
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Introduction • Commonly referred to as: malicious software/ “malware”, computer viruses • Designed to enter computers without the owner’s permission
Background • Started out as “pranks,” more annoying than harmful, created by programmers to see range until around 1999 • 2001 viruses started to be used as forms as vandalism: destroying files, corrupting system • 2003 Broadband Internet profit promotion via email spam, spyware advertising
Viruses first spread via floppy disks activated when program runs or disk boots • 1990 Microsoft Windows platform rising of “macro viruses”—damage documents instead of applications
Recovery Methods • System Restore – restores the registry and critical system files to a previous checkpoint • Reinstall the operation system – 1. reformat the computer’s hard drive 2. install OS from its original media • These methods are simpler and faster than most anti-virus software • However, the computer’s user preferences must be restored every time; while backing up software, one may put another computer in danger • Anti-virus software prevents, detects, and removes viruses from computers (sometimes downgrades a computer’s performance
Phishing • Phishing: attempting to get private information like usernames and passwords by pretending to be a trustworthy source.
Usually takes place through email and instant messaging • Links that prompt one to put info into what looks like a legitimate site. • First known case of Phishing was done in 1996 • Started with cases in AOL, then moved to financial institutions
Social Networking Sites are now the target of Phishing • Most methods of phishing make a link appear to belong to a fake organization. • Misspelled URLs or the use of sub domains are common tricks • Phishers have used images instead of text to make it harder for anti-phishing filters to detect text commonly used in phishing e-mails
WHAT IS A COMPUTER VIRUS? “A COMPUTER PROGRAM ABLE TO INFECT OTHER PROGRAMS BY MODIFYING THEM TO INCLUDE A POSSIBLY EVOLVED VERSION OF ITSELF”
TYPES OF VIRUSES • BOOT PARTITION INFECTING VIRUS • EXECUTABLE FILE INFECTING VIRUS • MULTI-PART VIRUS • DIRECTORY INFECTING VIRUS
WHAT CAN THEY DO? • FORMAT DISK • COPY, RENAME, AND DELETE FILES • COPY THEMSELVES WITH NEW CONFIGURATION INFORMATION • MODIFY FILE DATES AND EXTENTIONS • CALL OTHER COMPUTERS TO UPLOAD AND DOWNLOAD FILES
HOW DO THEY DO IT? • APPENDING • INSERTION • INTERCEPTION • REDIRECTION • REPLACEMENT
Prevention • Install software such as; firewalls, a spyware scanner, a Trojan horse program, and antivirus programs • Run up to date scans • Don’t download materials from questionable sources • Remove unused communication ports • Understand how an attack could happen so you see one coming
Conclusion • There are six types of malicious attacks: trojan horses, worms, viruses, hoaxes, spam, and phishing • Good computer practices can help a user minimize the threat of a malicious attack