Chapter 21 – Malicious Software
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS:
T F 1. Malicious software aims to trick users into revealing sensitive personal
information.
T F 2. Keyware captures keystrokes on a compromised system.
T F 3. Metamorphic code is software that can be shipped unchanged to a
heterogeneous collection of platforms and execute with identical semantics.
T F 4. A virus that attaches to an executable program can do anything that the
program is permitted to do.
T F. 5. It is not possible to spread a virus via a USB stick.
T F 6. A logic bomb is the event or condition that determines when the payload is
activated or delivered.
T F 7. Many forms of infection can be blocked by denying normal users the right to
modify programs on the system.
T F 8. A macro virus infects executable portions of code.
T F 9. E-mail is a common method for spreading macro viruses.
T F 10. In addition to propagating, a worm usually carries some form of payload.
T F 11. A Trojan horse is an apparently useful program containing hidden code that,
when invoked, performs some harmful function.
T F 12. Packet sniffers are mostly used to retrieve sensitive information like
usernames and passwords.
T F 13. A bot propagates itself and activates itself, whereas a worm is initially
controlled from some central facility.
T F 14. Every bot has a distinct IP address.
T F 15. DDoS attacks make computer systems inaccessible by flooding servers with
useless traffic so that legitimate users can no longer gain access to those
resources.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:
1. A program that is covertly inserted into another program with the intent of
compromising the integrity or confidentiality of the victim’s data is __________.
A. Adobe B. Animoto
C. malware D. Prezi
2. __________ are used to send large volumes of unwanted e-mail.
A. Rootkits B. Spammer programs
C. Downloaders D. Auto-rooters
3. A __________ is a program inserted into software that lies dormant until a predefined
condition, which triggers an unauthorized act, is met.
A. logic bomb B. trapdoor
C. worm D. Trojan horse
4. A simple example of a(n) __________ attack is the SYN flood attack.
A. data consumption B. internal resource
C. reflector DDoS D. indirect DDoS
5. Advertising that is integrated into software is called __________ .
A. flooders B. spyware
C. adware D. downloaders
6. The __________ is what the virus “does”.
A. infection mechanism B. trigger
C. logic bomb D. payload
7. The __________ is when the virus function is performed.
A. dormant phase B. propagation phase
C. triggering phase D. execution phase
8. During the __________ the virus is idle.
A. dormant phase B. propagation phase
C. triggering phase D. execution phase
9. A __________ infects files with macro or scripting code that is interpreted by an
application.
A. boot sector infector B. file infector
C. macro virus D. multipartite virus
10. __________ is the first function in the propagation phase for a network worm.
A. Propagating B. Fingerprinting
B. Keylogging D. Spear phishing
11. Unsolicited bulk e-mail is referred to as __________.
A. spam B. propagating
C. phishing D. crimeware
12. __________ is malware that encrypts the user’s data and demands payment in order to
access the key needed to recover the information.
A. Trojan horse B. Ransomware
C. Crimeware D. Polymorphic
13. A __________ attack is a bot attack on a computer system or network that causes a loss
of service to users.
A. spam B. phishing
C. DDoS D. sniff
14. The ideal solution to the threat of malware is __________.
A. identification B. removal
C. detection D. prevention
15. __________ will integrate with the operating system of a host computer and monitor
program behavior in real time for malicious actions.
A. Fingerprint-based scanners B. Behavior-blocking software
C. Generic decryption technology D. Heuristic scanners
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS:
1. A _________ is a set of programs installed on a system to maintain covert access to that
system with administrator (root) privileges while hiding evidence of its presence.
2. A __________ uses multiple methods of infection or propagation to maximize the speed
of contagion and the severity of the attack.
3. A computer __________ is a piece of software that can “infect” other programs or any
type of executable content and tries to replicate itself.
4. Referred to as the “infection vector”, the __________ is the means by which a virus
spreads or propagates.
5. Sometimes known as a “logic bomb”, the __________ is the event or condition that
determines when the payload is activated or delivered.
6. The four phases of a typical virus are: dormant phase, triggering phase, execution phase
and __________ phase.
7. During the __________ phase the virus is activated to perform the function for which it
was intended.
8. A __________ virus is explicitly designed to hide itself from detection by anti-virus
software.
9. __________ code refers to programs that can be shipped unchanged to a heterogeneous
collection of platforms and execute with identical semantics.
10. A __________ is when a user views a Web page controlled by the attacker that
contains a code that exploits the browser bug and downloads and installs malware on the
system without the user’s knowledge or consent.
11. A __________ is a collection of bots capable of acting in a coordinated manner.
12. An attacker can install a __________ to capture keystrokes on the infected machine to
retrieve sensitive information.
13. Countermeasures for malware are generally known as _________ mechanisms because
they were first developed to specifically target virus infections.
14. A _________ is a form of virus that creates copies during replication that are
functionally equivalent but have distinctly different bit patterns, in order to defeat programs
that scan for viruses.
15. SP 800-83 lists four main elements of prevention: policy, __________ , threat
mitigation, and vulnerability mitigation.
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS:
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS:
