What is malware
Type of harmful program that seeks to damage or gain unauthorised access to your computer system
How does a virus work
A virus can replicate itself from system to system by attaching itself to infected files
A virus is only activated when opened by a human
Once activates a virus can change data or corrupt a system so that it stops working
How does a WORM work?
A work can replicate itself from system to system by finding weaknesses in software
A worm does not need an infected file or human interaction to spread
A worm can spread very quickly across a network once it has infiltrated it
How does a Trojan work
A Trojan is a harmful program that looks like legitimate software so users are tricked into installing it
a Trojan secretly gives the attacker back door access to the system
Trojans do not self replicate or infect other files
How does spyware work
Spyware secretly records activities of a user on a computer
The main aim of spyware is to record usernames, passwords and credit card information.
All recorded information is secretly passed back to the attacker to use
How does a keylogger work
A keylogger secretly records the key presses of a user on a computer.Data is stored or sent back to the attacker
the main aim of a keylogger is to record usernames, passwords and credit card information
keylogger can be downloaded or plugged into the USB port
How does ransomware work
Ransomware locks files on a computer system using encryption so that a user can no longer access them
The attacker demands money from the victim to decrypt(unlock) the data.
Attackers usually use digital currencies like bitcoin which makes it hard to trace them
How does a DOS attack work
a DoS (denial of service)attack is when a computer repeatedly sends requests to a server to overload the system.A server overload will slow the system and may take websites offline temporarily
How does a brute force attack work
Every possible combination is tested in order from start to finish.This is not quick but it should break the password eventually
How does data interception work
When data packets on a network are intercepted by a third party (eg hacker) and copied to a different location than the intended destination
What is the purpose of penetration tests
The purpose of penetration tests is to review the systems security to find any risks of weaknesses and to fix them
What is anti malware software used for
Used to locate and delete malware like viruses on a computer system
Why must anti malware be updated daily
New forms of malware are created each day by attackers so to adapt anti malware must be updated daily
Why must secure passwords be used
A secure password minimises the chances of unauthorised users accessing a system
What forms of physical security are there
Keycards, security staff, cctv cameras and alarms
how is a lock used to prevent access to data
A lock can be used to prevent access to server rooms or locations that store confidential data.Only authorised personnel with a matching key will have access
How would a biometric device be used
Requires the input of human characteristics such as fingerprint, iris or voice.
The biometric data is checked against previously inputted data in a database
