Cybercrime and Computer Security

Cybercrime and Identity Theft

• Cybercrime is any criminal act primarily performed through a computer.
• Cybercriminals use computers, networks, and the internet to commit crimes.
• Common types of cybercrimes include FBI impersonation, identity theft (stealing bank data), non-delivery scams (selling nonexistent items), and advanced fee fraud (demanding upfront payments).

Hacking

• Hacking involves unauthorized computer access.

Computer Viruses

• Viruses are computer programs that attach themselves to other programs.
• Viruses can infect smartphones and tablets, as well as traditional computers.
• Viruses require user interaction to spread.
• The primary purpose of a virus is to steal or damage data and cause harm.
• Viruses may also have secondary objectives such as network disruptions or data breaches.
• Ways to become infected include downloading files from untrustworthy websites or opening email attachments from unknown sources.

Major Virus Categories

• Boot-sector viruses: These viruses replicate onto a hard drive's boot sector and execute during system start-up. They load into memory before the antivirus runs.
• Logic bomb viruses: These viruses are triggered when specific conditions, such as a certain date or file opening, are met.
• Time bomb viruses: These viruses activate on a set date and time.
• Worms: Worms are self-replicating programs that spread independently without user interaction. They spread using various methods, like email attachments or network connections. They are more active in spreading compared to viruses.
• Email viruses: These spread via email attachments.
• Encryption viruses (ransomware): Encryption viruses encrypt files and demand payment to unlock them.

Viruses Classification

• Some viruses disguise their activities, utilizing particular methods to avoid detection:
• Polymorphic viruses: These viruses change their code periodically to avoid detection by antivirus software.
• Multipartite viruses: These viruses affect different file types in attempts to bypass detection methods.
• Stealth viruses: These viruses hide in active memory when the hard drive is scanned, thus evading detection.

Preventing Virus Infections

• Antivirus software is crucial for detecting and protecting computers from viruses.
• Antivirus software should be kept up to date.

Understanding Hackers

• Hackers are individuals who gain unauthorized access to computers.
• Hackers are categorized by their motives: white-hat hackers (ethical hackers), black-hat hackers (those who gain illegal access), and grey-hat hackers.
• Trojan horses and rootkits are malicious programs that appear to be legitimate for gaining access without the user's knowledge.

Denial-of-Service Attacks

• Denial-of-service attacks use numerous compromised computers (zombies) to overwhelm a system or network with requests, leading to its shutdown and denial of legitimate use.

Restricting Access to Digital Assets

• Firewalls are hardware or software that block access to specific network ports, preventing unwanted access.
• Passwords should be strong to defend against unauthorized access.
• Biometric authentication methods (e.g., fingerprint, iris recognition) enhance security.

Managing Online Annoyance (Malaware)

• Adware presents unwanted advertisements
• Spyware is a program that is secretly installed on a computer and reports back to the perpetrator on what is going on with the victim's computer.
• Spam is unwanted email.
• Spim is unwanted instant messaging.

Backing Up Your Data

• Data loss can be caused by unauthorized access, tampering, or malicious intent.
• Different backup types exist (e.g., incremental, image backup).
• Data backups (e.g., program files, data files) should be stored (e.g., online, external hard drive, network server).

Social Engineering (Phishing and Pharming)

• Social engineering uses social skills to trick people into revealing sensitive information. Phishing and Pharming are types of social engineering attacks.

• Phishing lures victims into revealing sensitive information by pretending to be a legitimate entity.

• Pharming redirects users to fraudulent websites that appear legit, used for information capture.

Protecting Physical Computing Assets

• Power surges can damage computer components; surge protectors should be used.
• Theft prevention measures such as securing devices and using software to track stolen devices are essential.

Test your knowledge on cybercrime, identity theft, and computer viruses. This quiz covers the main types of cybercrimes and the basics of hacking and viruses. Understand how these threats operate and what you can do to protect yourself.