DON’T COMPROMISE SECURITY
Unit 32 Networked System
Security
1
, P1 Describe how networks can be attacked
The internet growth in the recent years have been rapid, applications for business purpose or individual
purpose are more widely available on the internet. However, these network-based applications pose a
threat to many individuals as well as the resources of companies. Information is like an asset which must
be protected at all costs if it is not then many individuals and businesses have put their asset at stake.
What is network Security?
It is the process by which the digital information is protected. The purpose of security is to protect a user’s
confidentially and maintaining the integrity. For a business to achieve its maximum potential the
maintaining of the networks and making sure the network is protected from all threats and vulnerabilities.
When a user gains unauthorized access to a network or a device it is considered as a threat. These threats
can be due to weakness in hardware or software or it can be a mistake by the user. These security risks
however cannot be completely defended against, but a user can take precautions and have proper risk
management. There are many different types of threats to counter a threat a user must first know the types
of threats.
Viruses
These are one of the most common types of threats to the security of the system, these are man-made and
are very easy to spread across various types of networks without the user even knowing. Most of the
viruses are usually attached to an application which means the virus can affect your computer once the
user runs a malicious program. Viruses cannot spread without human action, this means people will
unknowingly continue to spread the virus by sharing infected files and forwarding emails with the viruses
attached. Viruses can replicate itself this means it can copy itself repeatedly until the memory which is
available is all used up. Viruses can sometimes be very annoying or very dangerous they can distract the
user by different things like opening and closing the disk tray or doing serious damage to the software of
the computer which can cause the computer to crash. A virus is also capable of recording users keyboard
clicks and can see some things like passwords.
Worms.
A worm is somewhat like a virus and it does not require any human action to spread it as it spreads on its
own through computers infecting them, even if a worm does not cause any damage to a computer it can
still take up lot of bandwidth which can cause the network to slow down. Worms usually are very
dangerous as their ability to self-replicate makes them extremely dangerous. Even if a single worm gains
access to the computer it can send out thousands of copies. An example for a worm is when it can send a
copy of itself to everyone in a user’s email address book, then the worm can replicate itself and can once
again send it out to everyone in each of the receiver’s address books, this can continue to happen and can
cause a very large effect to all the users. The worm can consume too much system memory causing the
computer to freeze and it also can even take down web servers.
2
, Trojans and Backdoors
It is a type of a malware which does not reproduce itself but instead is used for the sole purpose of stealing
data or hijacking a computer system. A trojan is not very easy to detect as sometimes the only possible
way a user can figure out would be through the slow speed of the computer. The machine which is
infected can then be a part of botnet, invading the user’s privacy, modifying and stealing data and this all
is hidden from the victim. Trojans can come hide in genuine software such as in adobe photoshop a trojan
horse can be attached, the user might not realize this, and a hacker can gain access to the PC by a
backdoor. There are a few Trojans that have been produced to be a disturbance and can-do things like
changing the icons on your desktop, others are intended to wipe you out by destroying your PC
documents, files and projects. Backdoors is like a unauthorized of gaining access to a system it is usually
setup by a programmer so they can gain access to an online service or a system. One of the most popular
trojan was the storm worm which affected the computer using the Microsoft operating systems, it mainly
attacked computers in the United States and the Europe by an email message which stated about weather
disasters.
Spyware and Adware
Spyware is like a program which scans user files and secretly record whatever is on the user’s computer
without asking for permission. With the help of this a hacker can collect information even record a user’s
password and much more and can later access their accounts with the help of the obtained data. The
information which is obtained can be sold to third parties as well.
Adware on the other hand also tracks the user’s movement on a website and then allows any company to
send ads related to the users search or a site the user has recently visited.
Bitcoin Miners
Latest attacks are involving cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and is becoming a major problem. Bitcoin is
cryptocurrency (digital currency) which is an alternative to common currency such as dollars, pounds. The
miner uses your computer power to mine cryptocurrency, it’s using a user’s processor to solve
mathematical problems which can only be carried out by a computer. Once the problem is solved the
owner gets a small amount of their preferred cryptocurrency which is deposited into their account. Now
the hackers usually get a tiny amount of cryptocurrency, but they are using other people’s hardware and
the electricity thus gaining profit. A software called coin hive was inserted into many webpages without
the user’s knowledge, it is very hard to detect, and it was even found in ads which were being displayed
on YouTube. Although these miners don’t steal any personal information or even download any types of
malicious programs on the PC, but they can make a user’s computer run slowly increasing the power
consumption and costing users more money. The term which is used when a user’s PC is hacked to mine
bitcoin for others is known as crypto jacking.
Ransomware
It is a form of a malicious software, if by any chance it takes over a user’s computer it then threatens you
with harm and a user’s access to the computer is denied. The attacker demands a ransom from the victim
and promises to return access to the data although not always the access is given back, for a user to restore
access a payment in a cryptocurrency must be made which is usually untraceable.
3
Unit 32 Networked System
Security
1
, P1 Describe how networks can be attacked
The internet growth in the recent years have been rapid, applications for business purpose or individual
purpose are more widely available on the internet. However, these network-based applications pose a
threat to many individuals as well as the resources of companies. Information is like an asset which must
be protected at all costs if it is not then many individuals and businesses have put their asset at stake.
What is network Security?
It is the process by which the digital information is protected. The purpose of security is to protect a user’s
confidentially and maintaining the integrity. For a business to achieve its maximum potential the
maintaining of the networks and making sure the network is protected from all threats and vulnerabilities.
When a user gains unauthorized access to a network or a device it is considered as a threat. These threats
can be due to weakness in hardware or software or it can be a mistake by the user. These security risks
however cannot be completely defended against, but a user can take precautions and have proper risk
management. There are many different types of threats to counter a threat a user must first know the types
of threats.
Viruses
These are one of the most common types of threats to the security of the system, these are man-made and
are very easy to spread across various types of networks without the user even knowing. Most of the
viruses are usually attached to an application which means the virus can affect your computer once the
user runs a malicious program. Viruses cannot spread without human action, this means people will
unknowingly continue to spread the virus by sharing infected files and forwarding emails with the viruses
attached. Viruses can replicate itself this means it can copy itself repeatedly until the memory which is
available is all used up. Viruses can sometimes be very annoying or very dangerous they can distract the
user by different things like opening and closing the disk tray or doing serious damage to the software of
the computer which can cause the computer to crash. A virus is also capable of recording users keyboard
clicks and can see some things like passwords.
Worms.
A worm is somewhat like a virus and it does not require any human action to spread it as it spreads on its
own through computers infecting them, even if a worm does not cause any damage to a computer it can
still take up lot of bandwidth which can cause the network to slow down. Worms usually are very
dangerous as their ability to self-replicate makes them extremely dangerous. Even if a single worm gains
access to the computer it can send out thousands of copies. An example for a worm is when it can send a
copy of itself to everyone in a user’s email address book, then the worm can replicate itself and can once
again send it out to everyone in each of the receiver’s address books, this can continue to happen and can
cause a very large effect to all the users. The worm can consume too much system memory causing the
computer to freeze and it also can even take down web servers.
2
, Trojans and Backdoors
It is a type of a malware which does not reproduce itself but instead is used for the sole purpose of stealing
data or hijacking a computer system. A trojan is not very easy to detect as sometimes the only possible
way a user can figure out would be through the slow speed of the computer. The machine which is
infected can then be a part of botnet, invading the user’s privacy, modifying and stealing data and this all
is hidden from the victim. Trojans can come hide in genuine software such as in adobe photoshop a trojan
horse can be attached, the user might not realize this, and a hacker can gain access to the PC by a
backdoor. There are a few Trojans that have been produced to be a disturbance and can-do things like
changing the icons on your desktop, others are intended to wipe you out by destroying your PC
documents, files and projects. Backdoors is like a unauthorized of gaining access to a system it is usually
setup by a programmer so they can gain access to an online service or a system. One of the most popular
trojan was the storm worm which affected the computer using the Microsoft operating systems, it mainly
attacked computers in the United States and the Europe by an email message which stated about weather
disasters.
Spyware and Adware
Spyware is like a program which scans user files and secretly record whatever is on the user’s computer
without asking for permission. With the help of this a hacker can collect information even record a user’s
password and much more and can later access their accounts with the help of the obtained data. The
information which is obtained can be sold to third parties as well.
Adware on the other hand also tracks the user’s movement on a website and then allows any company to
send ads related to the users search or a site the user has recently visited.
Bitcoin Miners
Latest attacks are involving cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and is becoming a major problem. Bitcoin is
cryptocurrency (digital currency) which is an alternative to common currency such as dollars, pounds. The
miner uses your computer power to mine cryptocurrency, it’s using a user’s processor to solve
mathematical problems which can only be carried out by a computer. Once the problem is solved the
owner gets a small amount of their preferred cryptocurrency which is deposited into their account. Now
the hackers usually get a tiny amount of cryptocurrency, but they are using other people’s hardware and
the electricity thus gaining profit. A software called coin hive was inserted into many webpages without
the user’s knowledge, it is very hard to detect, and it was even found in ads which were being displayed
on YouTube. Although these miners don’t steal any personal information or even download any types of
malicious programs on the PC, but they can make a user’s computer run slowly increasing the power
consumption and costing users more money. The term which is used when a user’s PC is hacked to mine
bitcoin for others is known as crypto jacking.
Ransomware
It is a form of a malicious software, if by any chance it takes over a user’s computer it then threatens you
with harm and a user’s access to the computer is denied. The attacker demands a ransom from the victim
and promises to return access to the data although not always the access is given back, for a user to restore
access a payment in a cryptocurrency must be made which is usually untraceable.
3
