Different Security Threats to a Network

Different Security Threats to a Network

1. Passive Attack

   • Where someone moniters data travelling on a network and intercepts any sensitive information they find. They use network-monitoring hardware and software such as packet sniffers. They are hard to detect.

2. Active Attack

   • When someone attacks a network with malware or other planned attacks. They are more easily detected.

3. Insider attack

   • Someone within an organisation exploits their network access to steal information,

4. Brute Force Attack

   • A type of attack used to gain information by cracking passwords through trial and error. It uses automated software to produce hundreds of likely passwords combinations .

5. Denial of Service (DDOS) Attack

   • A deliberate attempt to prevent legitimate users of a netwrok from accessing the services provided by the server or connected systems.

6. Phishing

   • When a hacker sends an email appearing like an official company or person to persuade the user to reveal personal information.

7. Spyware

   • Malware which secretly monitors user actions and sends it to the hacker.

8. Scareware

   • It tells the user their computer is infected with viruses to scare them into following malicious links or paying for problems to be fixed

9. Ransomware

   • A type of malware that uses encryption to lock a user out of their files until an amount of money is paid

10. Viruses, Worms, Zombies & Trojans

    • Viruses
      • Attach, by copying themselves, to certain files. Users spread them by copying infected files and activate them by opening the infected files.
    • Worms
      • Similar to viruses but they self-replicate instead of the user copying them, meaning they spread very quickly.
    • Zombies
    • Trojans
      • Malware disguised as legitimate software.

11. Malware

    • Malicious software
    • Installed on someone's device without their knowledge or consent