1. Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, is designed to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems. It includes various types such as:
I. Viruses: Attach themselves to legitimate programs and spread to other programs or files.
II. Worms: Replicate themselves to spread to other computers, often exploiting network vulnerabilities.
III. Trojan Horses: Disguise themselves as legitimate software but perform malicious activities once executed.
IV. Spyware: Secretly monitors user activity and collects personal information.
V. Adware: Automatically displays or downloads advertising material, often unwanted.
2. Phishing
Phishing is a social engineering attack often carried out through emails, texts, or websites that appear to be from reputable sources. The goal is to trick individuals into providing sensitive information like usernames, passwords, and credit card details. Phishing attacks may use:
I. Spoofed Emails: Emails that appear to be from legitimate companies but contain malicious links.
II. Fake Websites: Websites designed to mimic legitimate ones to capture user credentials.
3. Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the victim’s data and demands a ransom payment to restore access. It spreads through:
I. Phishing Emails: Containing malicious attachments or links.
II. Exploiting Vulnerabilities: In software or operating systems.
III. Malicious Downloads: From compromised websites.
4. Insider Threats
Insider threats come from within the organization, typically by employees or contractors who have access to sensitive information. They can be:
I. Malicious Insiders: Intentionally causing harm by stealing data or sabotaging systems.
II. Negligent Insiders: Unintentionally causing security breaches through careless actions, such as weak password practices or falling for phishing scams.
5. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks
I. MitM attacks occur when an attacker secretly intercepts and relays messages between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other. This can lead to:
II. Eavesdropping: Listening to confidential communications.
III. Data Manipulation: Altering the data being communicated.
6. Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks
DoS attacks aim to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users by overwhelming it with a flood of illegitimate requests. Types include:
I. Volumetric Attacks: Consuming bandwidth.
II. Application Layer Attacks: Targeting specific applications with requests.
III. Protocol Attacks: Exploiting vulnerabilities in network protocols.
7. SQL Injection
SQL injection involves inserting malicious SQL code into a query through user input fields. This can manipulate the database, allowing attackers to:
I. Bypass Authentication: Accessing systems without valid credentials.
II. Retrieve Data: Extracting sensitive information.
III. Modify or Delete Data: Tampering with database contents.
8. Password Attacks
Password attacks are attempts to gain unauthorized access to systems by cracking user passwords. Methods include:
I. Brute Force Attacks: Trying all possible combinations until the correct one is found.
II. Dictionary Attacks: Using a list of common passwords and variations.
III. Credential Stuffing: Using credentials obtained from other breaches.
9. Zero-Day Exploits
Zero-day exploits target software vulnerabilities that are unknown to the vendor and have no patches available. They can cause significant damage before detection and remediation. These exploits can be delivered through:
I. Malware: Specifically designed to exploit the vulnerability.
II. Phishing: To trick users into executing the exploit.
10. Social Engineering
Social engineering attacks exploit human psychology to gain confidential information. Tactics include:
I. Pretexting: Creating a fabricated scenario to persuade the target to divulge information.
II. Baiting: Offering something enticing to trick victims into providing information or performing actions.
III. Tailgating: Gaining physical access to restricted areas by following an authorized person.
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