Cybersecurity Quiz: Understanding Hacker Types

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Questions and Answers

What defines a vulnerability in the context of computer threats?

A type of computer virus that spreads between systems.

A weakness that makes a threat possible. (correct)

An attempt to impersonate a legitimate user.

A malicious action that exploits an existing threat.

Which of the following statements about hackers is true?

All hackers aim to cause harm to systems.

Hackers only work for government organizations.

Hackers are synonymous with crackers.

Hackers seek knowledge or engage in harmless pranks. (correct)

What is the main objective of black-hat hackers?

To experiment with computer systems legally.

To exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain. (correct)

To collaborate with organizations on security issues.

To improve computer security for users.

Which term best describes malicious programmers who destroy data after unauthorized access?

Crackers (A) Signup and view all the answers

How can a computer attack be defined?

An action that exploits a vulnerability or enacts a threat. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes gray-hat hackers from other types of hackers?

They can possess motives ranging from ethical to malicious. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a computer system is infected with a virus?

The virus spreads to other programs within the system. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of White-Hat Hackers?

To help organizations improve security. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the legality of Black-Hat Hacking?

It is illegal and violates computer security laws. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What primary function does a Backdoor Trojan serve?

To enable attackers to gain remote access to a device. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of Gray-Hat Hackers?

They may violate laws while finding system issues. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a Downloader Trojan?

To install additional malicious software on an already infected device. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a sign of computer virus infection?

Self-execution of programs without user action. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of virus infects the boot sector of disks?

Boot Sector Virus. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which mitigation strategy is NOT recommended for avoiding Trojan horse infections?

Opening attachments from unknown email addresses. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What happens during a Direct Action Virus infection?

It attaches directly to executable files when they are run. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What type of Trojan specifically targets network overloads to cause a denial of service?

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) Trojan (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of Trojan is designed to mislead users into thinking their device is protected by legitimate antivirus software?

Fake antivirus Trojan (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a sign of a computer virus infection?

Increased battery life on devices. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes Resident Viruses?

They permanently embed themselves in the system memory. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What might be a first indication of a system being infected with a virus?

Too many pop-up windows appearing. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a computer worm from a virus?

Worms spread over a network without needing a host. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which method is NOT a viable option for data backup?

Backing up directly on the local hard drive. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a multipartite virus?

It can target both the boot sector and executable files. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a role-based function related to authorization?

Permission management based on user roles. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of computer worms?

To replicate and spread to other computers. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does an overwrite virus function?

It completely replaces the host program with malicious code. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What makes polymorphic viruses particularly challenging to detect?

They create modified versions to evade detection. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which technique is commonly employed to protect against computer worms?

Regularly updating antivirus software. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a unique feature of space filler viruses?

They fill empty spaces in files without detection. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main consequence of a computer worm on a system?

Using system resources excessively. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which method is NOT commonly associated with virus spread?

Physical copying of files. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is one characteristic of email worms?

They typically spread through malicious email links or attachments. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What role does anti-virus software play in virus mitigation?

It detects and removes harmful software from devices. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes accountability in security measures?

It emphasizes logging activities for tracking purposes. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a file infector virus from other types?

It first infects a single file and then spreads to others. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which backup method involves storing data on a remote server accessible via the internet?

Cloud backup solution. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which virus type is specifically known to exploit empty spaces within a file?

Space filler Virus. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a critical distinction between how viruses and worms spread?

Viruses require user action to spread while worms do not. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents a method through which viruses commonly exploit human behavior?

All of the above. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Computer Information Threats

A threat is any potential occurrence, malicious or otherwise, that could harm an asset (computer). It is any bad thing that can happen to your computer.
A vulnerability is a weakness that makes a threat possible. This can be from poor design, configuration mistakes, or inappropriate and insecure coding.
An attack is an action that exploits a vulnerability or enacts a threat. Examples include sending malicious input to an application or flooding a network.

Types of Information Threats: Viruses

A computer virus is a computer program or software that enters the computer system by attaching itself to another computer program and spreads itself across the system.
If the spread is successful, the affected areas are then "infected" with the computer virus.
Hackers and crackers are two types of people who create computer viruses.

Hackers vs. Crackers

Hackers use their technical skills to enter computer systems without permission. Often, they are computer enthusiasts who break in to learn more or for pranks. Many hackers work with government bodies in solving cases.
Crackers are malicious programmers who gain unauthorized access to computer systems. They destroy confidential data and create destructive programs, like viruses.

White-Hat, Black-Hat, and Gray-Hat Hackers

White-hat hackers find vulnerabilities in computer networks for organizations and governments; they are often paid employees. White-hat hacking is legal.
Black-hat hackers hack systems illegally for personal gain. This is highly skilled and often criminal activity and is illegal.
Gray-hat hackers have a combination of black-hat and white-hat activities; they find issues in systems without permission. They sometimes ask for payment to fix the issue(s), but this is not always the case. Sometimes, gray-hat hacking violates the law.

Signs of Computer Virus Infection

Speed of System: The time taken to open applications and system processing is slower.
Pop-up Windows: Too many unexpected pop-up windows appear on the screen.
Self-Execution of Programs: Files or programs open automatically in the background.
Log Out from Accounts: The user is logged out from accounts and protected sites.
Crashing of Device: The device crashes and stops working.

Types of Computer Viruses

Boot Sector Virus: Infects the boot sector of floppy disks or the Master Boot Record (MBR).
Direct Action Virus: Attaches itself directly to .exe or .com files and enters the device during execution. Also known as Non-Resident.
Resident Virus: Saves itself in the computer's memory and infects other files and programs when the originating program isn't running. Hard to remove.
Multipartite Virus: Can attack both boot sector and executable files.
Overwrite Virus: Completely removes the existing program and replaces it with malicious code. Replaces the host code.
Polymorphic Virus: Modifies its code to evade anti-virus detection.
File Infector Virus: Infects executable files and spreads to other files and programs.
Space Filer Virus: Fills in empty space of a file with viruses. Also known as cavity virus.

Virus Spread and Infection Ways

Email Attachments
Internet Downloads
Removable Media
Network Transmission
Drive-by Downloads
Software Vulnerabilities

Virus Mitigation

Antivirus software: Detects and removes harmful software.
Firewalls: Protects from malicious software.

Computer Worms

A standalone malware program that replicates itself to spread to other computers within a network. It relies on security failures to access other computers.
Spread: Often uses a computer network to spread.

Trojan Horse

Malware that hides its true function, often disguising itself as legitimate software to gain unauthorized access to a device.
Malware that acts covertly and is often used for opening backdoors, takes control of the affected device, exfiltrates user data, and downloads/runs other malicious software.

Ransomware

Malware that prevents users from accessing their system or files. Then demands ransom payment to gain access.

Spyware

A program that gathers confidential and sensitive information from a network.
Information may include emails, passwords and credit card information.

Methods used to manipulate people into taking certain actions, like giving up sensitive information or money.

Discussion Points

Details of social engineering attacks
Social engineering attack lifecycle
Types of social engineering attacks

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Description

Test your knowledge on various types of hackers, their motives, and the impact of computer threats. This quiz covers definitions, characteristics, and legal implications surrounding both malicious and ethical hacking. Challenge yourself to identify virus infection signs and Trojan functions in this engaging cybersecurity assessment.