What Are Malicious Attacks?

Malicious Attacks are any intentional attempts

that can compromise the state of your
computer.
Including but not limited to:
Performance
Data

Goals of Attackers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Prank
Data
Access
Identity
Damage

Examples

Software
Website forgery
Social Engineering
Keystroke logging
Password Cracking

Viruses
a program that can copy itself and infect a
computer without the owners knowledge
the term virus usually refers to all types of
malware including viruses, worms, trojan
horses, spyware, etc.

How they Spread

For a virus to spread, the host must be taken
to target computer
Viruses can be spread via the internet,
email, file sharing, instant messaging, a USB
drive, etc.

Infection
To infect a target, the virus must be allowed
to execute code and write itself to memory
Thus, viruses are often software that attach
to a program (such as Microsoft Word)
As soon as the Word document is opened,
the virus is free to infect target computer

History
1971: First identified virus called the
Creeper Virus was a self-replicating program
1981: Viruses began to be spread via
removable media (floppy disk)

Origins
Factors that lead to the spread of
viruses in the late 1980s:
Use of Personal Computers
Bulletin Boards (download programs)
led to the precursor to viruses- trojan horses
(program would erase files)

Introduction of floppy disk

Examples
Viruses show the vulnerability, but also the
sophistication of humans
1999: Melissa virus: Microsoft forced to
shut down entire system
2000: ILOVEYOU virus
2004: MyDoom worm: infected a quarter
million people in one day

Phishing

- an illegal act where the criminal

pretends to be a reputable organization
to obtain through trickery the personal
information from the victim with the
intent of stealing money.

Types of Phishing

- Link manipulation
- Website forgery
- Phone phishing
- Dumpster diving
- Mail theft

Main Phishing Technique

- Urgency phrases like
- To restore you bank account
- We suspect that you are a victim of identity
theft to confirm
- Please help support your local fire
department
- You account needs to be confirmed Please
follow this lin and login

Phishing Damages

3.6 million adults lost US $ 3.2 billion in the 12

months ending in August 2007

What can you do?

Be aware, ask questions, confirm messages

Recent Developments
Peer-to-peer viruses
Computer espionage
Future Attacks

Peer-to-peer Viruses
2008 Conficker virus
Estimated 15 million computers infected
Used peer-to-peer networks to download
updated versions of itself
Still active today, accepting commands from
spammers
Peer-to-peer nature essential to its success

Computer Espionage
Pentagon and CIA have been warning of
threat since early 2000s
2008 CIA press release reveals Chinese
hacking network targets US Government
websites
Power grids, banking systems, and other
essential services could be at risk, analysts say
Some say threat overstated

Future Attacks
The only truly secure system is one that is
powered off, cast in a block of concrete and
sealed in a lead-lined room with armed
guards. Gene Spafford, Security Expert
As long as there are computers, there will be
attacks targeting them

Malicious Attacks: Prevention

Firewalls
Email Virus Scanners
Use caution when downloading files
Filtering Spam

Avoid Pop Ups

Use Trusted Websites
Add-ons for Web Browsers

Malicious Attacks: Prevention

Software
Ad-Aware
Spybot: Search and Destroy
AVG
Norton Antivirus
MalwareBytes

Frequently Update Anti-Virus Definitions Files