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Questions and Answers
Are hackers able to exploit communication ports?
True
How do hackers exploit communication ports?
Hackers use a technique called port scanning to discover which ports are open on a device.
What is a port scan?
A port scan pings a packet of data to the port. If a reply is received, the port is open.
What is a firewall?
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What is a personal firewall?
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Only one software-based firewall should be active, because firewalls have a tendency to conflict with each other.
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A router acts as a firewall to block connections that are not initiated inside a local network.
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Do I need NAT in addition to a personal firewall?
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What types of interception exploits are threats?
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What is spyware?
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What is adware?
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What are keyloggers?
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What is Man-in-the-Middle?
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How do man-in-the-middle attacks work?
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What is an Evil Twin?
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How does the Evil Twin exploit work?
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What is address spoofing?
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What is an email address spoof?
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What is IP address spoof?
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What is a DNS address spoof?
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The DNS address spoof changes the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) routing table on a local area network.
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How does address spoofing affect browsing?
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Why is encryption vulnerable?
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What is the problem with TLS?
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How does a digital certificate hack work?
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Basic digital security depends on which two techniques?
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How does encryption work?
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An original message or file that has not yet been encrypted is referred to as plaintext or cleartext.
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An encrypted message or file is referred to as ciphertext.
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What is encryption?
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What is decryption?
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How is data encrypted?
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What is a cryptographic algorithm?
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What is a cryptographic key?
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A password is typically used as the key to encrypt and decrypt data.
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What can be encrypted?
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How well does encryption protect files?
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What is the encryption standard currently used worldwide?
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It is possible to crack AES, but the process is difficult and requires lots of computer power.
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What is user authentication?
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Authentication techniques such as passwords, PINs, fingerprint scans, and facial recognition can prevent unauthorized access to the data.
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How does two-factor authentication increase security?
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What does a brute force attack use?
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What does a dictionary attack help hackers to do?
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What makes a password susceptible to a dictionary attack?
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What makes a password susceptible to a brute force attack?
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The number of possible passwords depends on factors that include the size of the character set and the length of the password.
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What is password entropy?
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Passwords with higher entropy are more secure than passwords with low entropy.
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How does a password manager work?
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What does a password strength meter indicate?
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The encrypted file that stores user IDs and passwords is protected by a master password.
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Passwords stored locally are tied to the device on which they are created.
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Malware is also a component of cyberwarfare attacks that pose a threat to national security.
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What are malware threats?
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What is a payload or malware exploit?
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What can malware be used for?
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When was the first computer virus designed to affect personal computers appear?
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What is a virus?
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What are logic bombs?
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What are time bombs?
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What is code injection?
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How does a virus spread?
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What is side-loading?
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What is a rootkit?
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Modern rootkits are used to hide malicious code by replacing parts of the operating system with modified code.
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What is a worm?
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How can worms enter a device?
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A mass-mailing worm spreads by sending itself to every address in the worm's contact list.
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What does an Internet worm look for?
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What does a file-sharing worm do?
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Today, more than 80% of malware infections are trojans.
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How do trojans differ from viruses and worms?
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What are trojans?
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What can trojans contain?
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What is a dropper?
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What is the difference between a dropper and code injection?
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Antivirus software is a type of utility software that looks for and eliminates malware.
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What is a virus signature?
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How well does heuristic analysis work?
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Heuristics may produce false positives that mistakenly identify a legitimate file as malware.
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What happens when malware is detected?
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How dependable is antivirus software?
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What is the purpose of a manual scan?
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What's a virus hoax?
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What is the risk of online intrusions?
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What are the characteristics of online intrusions?
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What are the steps of an online intrusion?
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Are there different types of intrusions?
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What is a RAT?
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What is a backdoor?
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What is ransomware?
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What is a botnet?
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Botnets have been used to carry out massive DDoS attacks.
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What is DDoS?
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A botmaster controls a network of victims' computers using IRC channels for communication.
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Commands from botmaster include:
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Does antivirus software protect devices from intrusions?
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What is a zero-day attack?
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On-access scans are also called:
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Study Notes
Digital Security Fundamentals
- Basic digital security relies on encryption and authentication for protection.
- Encryption hides information from unauthorized readers by transforming messages or files.
- The original unencrypted content is known as plaintext or cleartext, while the encrypted content is termed ciphertext.
Encryption and Decryption
- Encryption: The process of converting plaintext into ciphertext.
- Decryption: Reverses encryption, converting ciphertext back to plaintext.
- Data encryption utilizes a cryptographic algorithm paired with a cryptographic key for secure communication.
Cryptographic Key and Algorithms
- A cryptographic key is typically a word or number necessary for encryption/decryption.
- Cryptographic algorithms define the methods used for encryption and decryption.
Passwords and Security
- Passwords function as keys, playing a crucial role in data protection.
- Various data types can be encrypted, including personal data, email communications, and entire storage volumes.
- Password strength hinges on complexity; weak passwords (e.g., "passpass") are easily crackable.
Attack Methods
- Brute Force Attack: Attempts every possible password combination, often requiring substantial time and resources.
- Dictionary Attack: Uses common words and phrases to guess passwords, leveraging known weaknesses.
Security Measures
- Employing two-factor authentication enhances security by requiring two verification components.
- Password strength meters evaluate password security against brute force and dictionary attacks.
Malware and Cyber Threats
- Malware encompasses harmful programs designed to infiltrate devices, including viruses, worms, and trojans.
- A virus replicates by attaching itself to legitimate files; worms are standalone programs that spread autonomously.
- Trojan horses masquerade as legitimate software but lead to malicious activities upon installation.
Specific Types of Malware
- Ransomware encrypts user data until a ransom is paid for access.
- Rootkits hide malicious processes from detection, often modifying operating system components.
- Backdoors allow unauthorized remote access to victim systems, often utilized by RAT (Remote Access Trojans).
Intrusions and Defense Strategies
- Online intrusions often initiate through malware, which opens backdoors for hackers.
- Botnets consist of networks of compromised devices controlled by a hacker, often utilized for DDoS attacks.
- Firewalls block unauthorized access and can be software-based (personal firewalls) or hardware-based (network routers).
Protection and Reliability
- Antivirus software detects and eliminates malware but may not catch sophisticated threats like zero-day exploits.
- Manual scans help users check for infections if there are suspicions of malware incidents.
Exploiting Vulnerabilities
- Hackers conduct port scanning to identify open communication ports on devices.
- Spyware collects user data without consent, while adware monitors web activity to serve targeted ads.
Threat Prevention
- Systems utilizing Network Address Translation (NAT) enhance security against outside attacks, complementing personal firewalls by addressing internal threats.
Keyloggers
- Keyloggers are a type of spyware that record keystrokes and transmit the information to hackers.
- They are commonly used by identity thieves and industrial spies to obtain user passwords and access accounts.
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
- A Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack involves a third party intercepting communication between two entities without their knowledge.
- Types of MITM attacks include Evil Twins, address spoofing, digital certificate hacks, and IMSI catchers.
- A third party can either passively monitor communications or actively modify data during transfer.
Evil Twin Exploit
- An Evil Twin is a fraudulent Wi-Fi hotspot that mimics a legitimate network to deceive users.
- Hackers set up unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots to capture data from users, including online banking details and social media passwords.
Address Spoofing
- Address spoofing involves altering the originating or destination address of data to redirect communication.
- Various types include email address spoofing, IP address spoofing, and DNS address spoofing.
Spoof Types
- Email address spoofing disguises the sender's address, often used in spam.
- IP address spoofing modifies source IP addresses in denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
- DNS address spoofing changes the IP address associated with a URL, redirecting victims to fraudulent websites.
ARP Address Spoofing
- ARP spoofing alters the routing table on a local area network, redirecting traffic through a malicious device.
Address Spoofing Impact on Browsing
- Spoofing of Google’s IP address by authorities can redirect users to fake sites, which may block access to controversial content.
Vulnerability of Encryption
- Encryption of client-server communication relies on TLS (Transport Layer Security) and digital certificates to verify server identity.
- Public keys are used by clients to encrypt messages sent to servers.
Issues with TLS
- Digital certificates, which validate server identities, can be faked, creating security vulnerabilities.
- A valid certificate is signed by an official certificate authority, while a fake may appear legitimate but lacks a valid signature.
Digital Certificate Hacking
- Digital certificate hacks can involve DNS address spoofing, which routes all data from users through malicious servers, potentially enabling surveillance or censorship.
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Description
Explore the essential concepts of digital security in this Module 7 quiz. Test your knowledge on encryption, authentication, and plaintext definitions through flashcards designed for effective learning.