Information Security

IPS stands for Intrusion Prevention System. It is a network security/threat prevention technology that examines network traffic flows to detect and prevent vulnerability exploits.

A proxy server acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers. Hackers use them to mask their true IP address and hide their identity during attacks.

Cain and Abel is a well-known password recovery tool for Microsoft Windows operating systems. It can recover various types of passwords by sniffing the network or cracking encrypted passwords.

White Hat hackers are ethical hackers who use their skills to improve security by finding vulnerabilities and reporting them to the owners, rather than exploiting them for malicious gain.

A dictionary attack systematically tries a list of common words or phrases to guess a password. Brute force involves trying all possible character combinations, while the other options refer to network-level attacks.

Phishing attacks often succeed by targeting users who lack technical knowledge about cybersecurity threats and safe computing practices. These users may not recognize warning signs like suspicious URLs, unexpected requests for sensitive information, or generic greetings. While anyone can fall victim to sophisticated phishing, less technical users are disproportionately targeted.

An attack vector is the specific path or method used by an attacker to gain unauthorized access to a system. Examples include phishing emails, malicious links, or software vulnerabilities.

Encryption is the best countermeasure against session hijacking because it prevents attackers from reading the session tokens or data being transmitted. Without encryption, session tokens can be easily intercepted in transit.

The first phase of a DDoS attack is the intrusion or preparation phase, where the attacker compromises multiple systems (creating a botnet) to use them for the attack. Finding a target is a prerequisite, but the actual attack process begins with building the botnet.

Sniffing is the process of monitoring and capturing all data packets passing through a network. It is often used by attackers to steal sensitive information like passwords or session tokens.

A backdoor is a method of bypassing normal authentication to secure remote access to a computer. It allows attackers to maintain access even if the original entry point is closed.

Authentication is the process of verifying that a user is who they claim to be. This is typically done using passwords, biometrics, or tokens.

Confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is accessed only by authorized individuals. It prevents unauthorized disclosure of data.

A masquerade attack occurs when an entity pretends to be another entity to gain unauthorized access or privileges. This is a common form of identity spoofing.