Threats posed to networks Online Quiz

A standard Denial of Service (DoS) attack typically involves a single computer sending a massive volume of data packets to a target to overwhelm it. In contrast, when many computers are coordinated to attack a single target simultaneously, it is classified as a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. Therefore, the single-computer description is correct for DoS.

Adware is a type of malware that automatically renders advertisements on a computer screen, often in the form of pop-ups, to generate revenue for its creator. While spyware tracks user behavior and worms spread across networks, adware specifically focuses on displaying unwanted ads. Viruses infect files but do not primarily focus on ad delivery.

Spyware is malicious software designed to secretly monitor and record your computer activities, such as keystrokes, browsing history, and personal information, and transmit this data to a third party. While some advanced spyware can access webcams, its primary definition and design goal is to record and harvest user activity. It does not ignore the user or solely focus on creating backdoors.

Phishing is a social engineering technique where attackers send fraudulent messages, often mimicking reputable companies, to trick individuals into revealing sensitive personal information. The correct spelling of this term is 'Phishing'. 'Phising' and 'Fishing' are incorrect spellings, and a virus is a self-replicating program rather than a social engineering method.

Ransomware is a specific type of malware that encrypts a victim's files, making them inaccessible, and then demands a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key. Trojans, worms, and viruses can deliver ransomware, but they do not inherently define the encryption-for-payment behavior. Thus, ransomware is the correct term.

Worms are self-replicating programs that can spread across computer networks automatically by exploiting vulnerabilities, without needing any human action like opening an attachment. In contrast, computer viruses typically require human involvement, such as running an infected program, to spread. This independence makes worms particularly dangerous for network security.

Computer viruses are malicious programs that spread by inserting their code into legitimate programs, documents, or files. When a user opens or runs the infected host file, the virus code is executed and can infect other files on the system. They do not typically attach themselves to raw network packets of data or simple desktop icons.