Malware Virus

Malware = Malicious software

  • Not just a virus

Buffer Overflow - overloading of a reserved space of data.

Ex: Someone might try to fill an integer field with a number outside the integer range.

  • This can cause errors which can then be used to attack an application.

Virus - malicious code that attaches itself to another mechanism and then is used to inflict damage on a computer.

  • Not all malware are viruses

  • Viruses cannot run on their own; they need to have a carrier

  • Polymorphic virus - a virus which morphs constantly so that antivirus software has a tough time catching it

  • Hoax - a fake virus

Worm - self-replicating malicious code

  • Main problems:

    • Ties up bandwidth

    • Ties up memory and/or CPU

  • They tend not to really destroy things

Trojan horse - imposter program (a program that appears to look legitimate, when it is malicious)

Ex: a link online or an advertisement pop up that says, Your machine is about to be hit with a virus, you need to download this cleaner and clean off your computer.

Spyware - malware that collects personal information.

  • Done without the user knowing that his/her information is being collected.

Ex: collecting data from browsing sessions and sending data to a third-party advertiser, then targeted ads appear on other webpages.

  • They don’t necessarily store anything in cookies, they grab your information and store it in a database to use that information to target you

Ransomware - an attack involving malicious software used to block or encrypt data.

  • The data is not unblocked or decrypted until a ransom is paid

  • Two common types;

    • Lockscreen ransomware - which prevents access to files.

  • Encryption ransomware - which encrypts data until money is received.

Adware - software that displays advertisements while an app is being used.

Ex: pop-up ads while you are surfing the web, or advertisements that appear inside of an app, while you are playing a game or something like that.

  • One that is free has ads and the one that is not free does not have ads (not consider as adware)

Rootkits - software or hardware used to gain administrative access to a computer without being detected.

  • Goes undetected

  • Often affects code written into the CPU or other hardware

Backdoors - malware used to do unauthorized tasks on a system through an opening in the system.

Ex: testing code can be left in a program

  • When developers build apps, oftentimes they leave code in there that is used to test things.

Zero day attacks - an attack involving taking advantage of a software vulnerability unknown to a vendor.

  • Zero refers to a vendor having zero days of warning before the attack takes place.

DoS Attack (Denial of Service) attacks - an attack in which networks are disrupted to the point where they cannot function.

  • DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) - a DoS attack in which multiple machines cause the attack.

    • Botnet - a network of computers which have been taken over (known as zombies) for the purpose of carrying out a DDoS.