Hands-On Ethical Hacking and Network Defense: Network and Computer Attacks

Flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to malicious software, network attacks, and methods of protection as discussed in the lecture.

Malicious Software (Malware)

Software designed to harm, exploit, or otherwise compromise a computer, network, or information.

Virus

A program that attaches itself to a file or another program and cannot replicate without a host.

Phishing

An attempt to trick users into providing personal information by masquerading as a trustworthy entity.

Ransomware

A type of malware that locks files or systems and demands a ransom for restoration.

Antivirus Software

Programs designed to detect, prevent, and remove malware from computers.

Worm

A self-replicating malware that spreads without the need to attach to a host program.

Trojan

Malware that disguises itself as a legitimate program but can install backdoors or rootkits.

Keylogger

A type of malware that records keystrokes to gather sensitive information such as passwords.

Adware

Software that automatically delivers advertisements, may collect user information without their consent.

Buffer Overflow

An exploit that occurs when a program writes more data to a buffer than it can hold, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution.

Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attack

An attack aimed at making a network resource unavailable to its intended users.

Man-in-the-Middle Attack

An attack where a malicious actor intercepts communication between two parties.

Eavesdropping

An attack where unauthorized individuals listen to unencrypted network communications to gather sensitive information.

Spyware

Malicious software that collects information from a user's computer without their awareness.

Malware-as-a-Service

A business model wherein malware tools and services are sold or rented on hacking forums.

Physical Security Attacks

Attacks that exploit physical access to network resources, often from insiders.

Network Session Hijacking

An exploit that allows an attacker to intercept and take over a TCP session.

Dark DDoS Attack

A distraction tactic where an attack is launched to mask another harmful attack.