Sunday, September 16, 2012

Network and Computer Attacks – Chapter 3


As the title indicates this chapter was all about intruders attacking Computer systems and Network infrastructure. These assaults can come from both insiders as well as outsiders. In some situations protecting both the Network and workstations might be as simply as ensuring proper precautions have been taken to secure their locations and proper identification is presented when requested.

The chapter begins with describing malicious software.  Malware is malicious software used with the intent of corrupting or destroying data. Some of the other types of malware are worms, viruses, and Trojan programs which are all explained in greater detail.

Spyware and adware are similar in that both programs can be installed without users aware of their presence. The purpose or intent of placing spyware on someone’s computer is to secretly gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties. Spyware can get in a computer as a software virus or as the result of installing a new program. However programs that collect data with the user’s knowledge are not technically spyware. Such software is called adware and is designed to track and report user information to advertising or other interested parties.

It goes on to explain Denial of Service Attacks (DOS), Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS), Addressing Physical Security, and Keyloggers. The chapter covered potential ways to breach both Computes and the Network that an ethical-hacker needs to be able to identify and stop.     

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