Understanding Cyber Threats: Malware, Trojans, and Security

Understanding Cyber Threats and Security Measures

1. Malware: Any malicious program or code that is harmful to systems.

2. Trojan Horse: A Trojan horse is a program that appears harmless but is, in fact, malicious. Unexpected changes to computer settings and unusual activity, even when the computer should be idle, are strong indications that a Trojan is residing on a computer. It is not able to replicate itself.

3. Worm: A computer worm is a standalone malware computer program that replicates itself to spread to other computers. Often, it uses a computer network to spread itself, relying on security failures on the target computer to access it. Worms almost always cause at least some harm to the network.

4. Spam: Spam refers to unsolicited, unwanted, or unknown messages (anonymous mail), usually of an advertising nature, that are generally sent in large quantities (even massive) and harm the receiver in some way. The action of sending such messages is called spamming.

5. Firewall: A program that filters incoming data between private networks and the internet.

6. Phishing: Emails from an untrusted source with the objective of gaining access to personal information. It sends you a link pretending to be from a trusted company (among others), and when you click the link, they may access your personal information, messages, emails, etc.

7. Time Bomb / Logic Bomb: The main difference between logic bombs and time bombs is that a logic bomb may have a timing function implemented into it as a failsafe if the conditions are not met in a certain time period (it may delete itself or activate its payload using the timing system), while time bombs only use timing functions to (de)activate themselves.

Virus: A computer virus is a type of malicious software that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code.

Keylogger: A malicious program for recording computer user keystrokes to steal passwords and other sensitive information.

Antiviruses: A computer program used to prevent, detect, and remove malware.

Security Measures

Logical: User identification, Smart badge, Backups, Firewall, Antiviruses, RFID, software patches.

Physical: Dust-free rooms, air-conditioned rooms, backup power, locked rooms.

Types of Computer Crime

Computer Abuse: The use of computer systems to perform irresponsible acts.

Computer Sabotage: To damage computer systems.

Computer Fraud: To access a computer system to steal information and data for economic purposes.