Worksheet 08: Malware | Computer Security (Fall 2024)

Worksheet 08: Malware

Worksheets are self-guided activities that reinforce lectures. They are not graded for accuracy, only for completion. Worksheets are due by the start of the next lecture via Blackboard link as a single PDF document. Be sure to properly label each question.

  1. What is a virus?

  2. How do worms differ from viruses?

  3. Read the wikipedia article on the Blaster Worm. Describe it’s attack vector, how it self propogated, and what did it do?

  4. Once a machine is infected, an attacker may install a backdoor. What is a backdoor?

  5. What are keyloggers?

  6. Read the wikipedia article about the Sony Rootkit. What was the purpose of the rootkit, and what made it a rootkit, as opposed to benign program?

  7. What is ransomware and what exactly is being ransomed?

  8. Listen to The Journal’s podcasst on ransomware attacks on hospitals in 2021 and one about MGM Casinos from 2024 about the dileminas of paying ransoms.

    In your opinion, is it better to pay or rebuild your systems? What are the benefits to both.

  9. What is a botnet? And what particularly bad thing could they be used for?

  10. Read the wikipedia article about the Storm Botnet. How large was it at its height? And what was its primary function?

  11. A common social engineering attack involves spearphishing. Read the following article about John Podesta’s email leak from 2016 and listen to the following ReplyAll podcast #97 What Kind Of Idiot Gets Phished?

    If you were giving advice to someone, what is one way to avoid this kind of attack?