1.6 System Security

1.6 System Security

1. Forms of Attack

   • Malware - Malicious Software
     • Viruses - Around 82,000 made daily, attach to files and can affect all of the OS
     • Worms - Dont need to attach to files, replicate themselves
     • Trojan Horse - Activated over time or with a keyword
   • Phishing - Disguising as a normal webpage to extract personal data from a victim
   • Brute Force - Trial and Error method to thieve data
   • DDOS - Direct Denial of Service, Many zombie devices overload a website with useless data to make it crash
   • Data Interception - By using packet sniffing
   • Poor Network Policy

2. Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities

   • Penetration testing
   • Network forensics
   • Network policies
   • Anti-malware software
   • Firewalls
   • User access levels
   • Passwords
   • Encryption

3. Key Words

   • Malware
     • Network policies
   • Worms
   • Trojan Horses
   • Phishing
   • Social Engineering
   • Data interception

4. Viruses

   • Malicious software designed to cause harm to a network or computer system Attaches itself to programs or files on a computer or server.
   • Can affect all components of an operating system Around 82,000 viruses are made each day

5. Worms

   • Replicates itself in order to spread to other computers.
   • Often using a computer network.
   • In order to achieve this, the worm exploits vulnerabilities across the computer network.
   • Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach to a program.

6. Social Engineering

   • Relies on human interaction (social skills).
   • Commonly involves tricking users into breaking normal security procedures.
   • Method does not revolve around technical cracking techniques such as worms or viruses.

7. Computer Phishing

   • Form of social engineering
   • Designed to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, card details etc.
   • Most common phishing attacks are sent through email.

8. Telephone (IVR) Phishing

   • Telephone system mirroring – direct phone calls that pretend to be an official service
   • A telephone phishing system would request similar prompts to a bank if the exploit was to gain banking information
   • User could be asked to enter bank number, expiry, CCV, PIN and system may reject or ask for re-entry to ensure original digits are correct
   • Data Interception and Theft
     • Data travels across networks in packets.
     • Packets can be intercepted
     • If packets are encrypted, they cannot be read without a key
     • Unencrypted packets can be re-assembled using signatures
     • Data can also be intercepted physically, for example portable hard drives and other external hardware can be stolen