Cyber Forensics & Investigation
Types of Security Attacks
Dr. Aju D
Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore
Types of Security Attacks
Viruses
Worms
Trojans
Types of Security Attacks: Viruses
• Virus is a malicious program able to inject its code into other programs /
applications or data files and the targeted areas become "infected".
• Installation of a virus is done without user's consent, and spreads in form
of executable code transferred from one host to another.
Resident virus
Polymorphic virus
Non-resident virus
Metamorphic virus
Boot sector virus
Stealth virus
Macro virus
Companion virus
File-infecting virus (file infector)
Cavity virus
Types of Security Attacks: Worms
• Worm is a malicious program category, exploiting operating system
vulnerabilities to spread itself.
• In its design, worm is quite similar to a virus - considered even its sub-
class.
• Unlike the viruses though worms can reproduce / duplicate and spread
by itself.
Types of Security Attacks: Worms
Types of Worms
The most common categorization of worms relies on the method how they
spread.
Email worms: Spread through email messages, especially through those
with attachments.
Internet worms: Spread directly over the internet by exploiting access to
open ports or system vulnerabilities.
Network worms: Spread over open and unprotected network shares.
Multi-vector worms: Having two or more various spread capabilities.
Types of Security Attacks: Trojan Horses
• Computer Trojan or Trojan Horses are named after the
mythological Trojan horse owing to their similarity in operation
strategy.
• Trojans are a type of malware software that masquerades itself as
a non-malicious even useful application but it will actually do
damage to the host computer after its installation.
• Unlike virus, Trojans do not self-replicate unless end user
intervene to install.
Trojan Types
Remote Access Trojans (RAT) aka Backdoor.Trojan
Trojan-DDoS
Trojan-Proxy
Trojan-FTP
Destructive Trojan
Security Software Disabler Trojan
Info Stealer (Data Sending/ Stealing Trojan)
Keylogger Trojan
Trojan-PSW (Password Stealer)
Trojan-Banker
Trojan-IM,.. etc..
Other Security Threats
Malware
• Malware refers to software viruses, spyware, adware, worms,
Trojans, ransomeware etc.
• They are designed to cause damage to a targeted computer or
cause a certain degree of operational disruption.
Rootkit
• Rootkit are malicious software designed to hide certain
processes or programs from detection.
Other Security Threats
Spyware
• Spyware is a software that monitors and collects information
about a particular user, computer or organization without user’s
knowledge.
• There are different types of spyware, namely system monitors,
trojans (keyloggers, banker trojans, inforstealers), adware,
tracking cookies etc.
Tracking cookies
• Tracking cookies
Other Security Threats
Riskware
• Riskware is a term used to describe potentially dangerous
software whose installation may pose a risk to the
computer.
Adware
• Adware in general term adware is software generating or
displaying certain advertisements to the user.
Other Security Threats
Creepware
Creepware is a term used to describe activities like spying others
through webcams (very often combined with capturing pictures),
tracking online activities of others and listening to conversation over
the computer's microphone and stealing passwords and other data.
Blended threat
• Blended threat defines an exploit that combines elements of
multiple types of malware components.
