Introduction to Malware

​Malware

By Barbara Anderson

programs designed to harm your computer

Virus

A computer virus inserts its own code into a program that already exists on your computer. It can then spread to other parts of the computer and cause extensive damage by causing system failure, corrupting data, wasting computer resources, or stealing personal information.

​Viruses target one computer at a time

Worm

​Worms spread across a network

Worms enter a computer network through one computer's security failure. Once in, they replicate across the network causing the network to slow down by using all the bandwidth. Worms cause harm to a whole network while viruses infect and cause harm to one computer.

Multiple Choice

Which type of malware is designed to spread to computers across a network?

• Virus

• Worm

Multiple Choice

Which type of malware inserts its code into another computer program that allows it to do damage?

• Virus

• Worm

Trojan Horse

A Trojan Horse is disguised to look good

Users are fooled to click and download a Trojan Horse because it's disguised to look like something interesting they can use when in fact, they are a program that will harm the computer. Trojan horses don't try to spread themselves across a computer system or inject their code into another program like a virus. They do the damage as a stand-alone program.

Adware

Displays unwanted advertisements, some can spy on you

Adware can download alongside another program a user wants from online. Once downloaded, it pops-up unwanted advertisement while browsing. Some adware also collects your browsing history and sells this data to marketeers so they can target you with additional ads.

Multiple Choice

What type of malware looks like something useful to trick the user into downloading it onto their computer?

• Virus

• Worm

• Trojan Horse

• Adware

Multiple Choice

What type of malware displays annoying ads when browsing online?

• Virus

• Worm

• Trojan Horse

• Adware

Spyware

​Spyware monitors your online activity

Spyware can track where you visit online, what you download, your usernames and passwords, and the emails you send and receive. This information can be sold on the dark web for purposes such as identity theft.

Rootkit

​Gives remote control of your computer

Rootkit gives a bad actor control of a computer so they can do all kinds of damage by installing malware and deactiving anti-virus softwares. This makes it very difficult to remove from a computer, if not impossible.

Man in the Middle Attack

​Attacker intercepts communication

A man in the middle (MITM) attack is when a perpetrator positions himself in a conversation between a user and an application—either to eavesdrop or to impersonate one of the parties, making it appear as if a normal exchange of information is underway so they can steal personal information such as a credit card number.

Multiple Choice

What type of malware allows a remote user to take control of your computer?

• Spyware

• Worm

• Man-in-the-middle

• Rootkit

Multiple Choice

What type of malware monitors your activity online so the actor can gather the data and sell it on the dark web?

• Virus

• Spyware

• Toolkit

• Man-in-the-middle attach

Multiple Choice

What type of malware intercepts messages between two users and takes over the communication to steal information?

• Virus

• Spyware

• Rootkit

• Man-in-the-Middle Attach

Distributed Denial of Service

​DDoS Floods a Computer with Requests

Distributed denial of Service floods a computer with un-needed requests from botnets so it cannot meet legitimate user's requests. The purpose is to take the service offline or make it unavailable to other users.

Structured Query Language Injection

​Injects SQL code into a query

SQL Injection is a web security vulnerability that allows an attacker to interfere with the queries that an application makes to its database. It allows the intruder to view, copy, delete, or modify the data in the database.

Multiple Choice

Which type of malware uses botnets to flood a server with request so others cannot access its resources?

• DDoS Attach

• SQL Attach

• Man-in-the-Middle Attach

• Rootkit

Multiple Choice

Which type of malware infects a database by modifying queries to find, delete, or copy data in its system?

• DDoS Attach

• RootKit Attach

• Man-in-the-Middle Attach

• SQL Attack