Malware and Antivirus Flashcards

An employee receives an email that appears to be from their CEO, requesting an urgent transfer of funds to a new vendor. The email uses a tone of authority and urgency, pressuring the employee to act quickly without verification. This is an example of which malware delivery technique?

Answer: Social Engineering

Social engineering manipulates individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. In this scenario, the attacker is using deception and urgency (impersonating a CEO) to trick the employee into transferring funds, which is a classic social engineering tactic known as phishing or pretexting.

Which of the following is a primary function of an antivirus software's signature-based detection method?

Answer: Comparing the code of a file against a database of known malware fingerprints.

Signature-based detection is a fundamental antivirus technique that involves scanning files and comparing their digital signatures (unique strings of bytes or cryptographic hashes) to a vast database of signatures from known malware. If a match is found, the file is flagged as malicious.

A user downloads what they believe to be a legitimate photo-editing application from a third-party website. After installation, their computer begins to run slowly, and they notice their webcam activating on its own. What type of malware has most likely infected their system?

Answer: Trojan Horse

A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is a type of malware that disguises itself as a legitimate program to trick users into installing it. Once installed, it performs malicious activities in the background, such as giving an attacker unauthorized access to the system, which could include activating the webcam.

To maintain effectiveness against new and evolving threats, what is the MOST critical routine maintenance task for any antivirus software?

Answer: Regularly updating the virus definition files.

Antivirus software relies heavily on its virus definition files (or signature database) to identify known malware. New malware is created daily, so it is crucial to update these definitions regularly to ensure the software can recognize and protect against the latest threats.

A type of malware is discovered that encrypts all the files on a user's hard drive and then displays a message demanding payment in cryptocurrency to restore access. This is characteristic of which malware category?

Answer: Ransomware

Ransomware is a malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or its data, typically by encryption, until a sum of money (a ransom) is paid. The scenario described, involving file encryption and a demand for payment, is a textbook example of a ransomware attack.

What is the primary security risk associated with downloading applications for your mobile device from unofficial, third-party app stores?

Answer: The apps may be bundled with malware or spyware.

Unofficial or third-party app stores are not curated and lack the stringent security checks of official stores like the Apple App Store or Google Play. This makes them a common distribution channel for mobile malware, where malicious code is hidden inside seemingly legitimate applications.