Chapter 08: Desktop and Server OS Vulnerabilities
31. What functions do most Trojan programs perform?
Most Trojan programs perform one or more of the following functions:
– Allow remote administration of the attacked system
– Create a file server on the attacked computer so files can be loaded and downloaded without the user’s
knowledge
– Steal passwords from the attacked system and e-mail them to the attacker
– Log all keystrokes a user enters and e-mail the results to the attacker or store them in a hidden file the
attacker can access remotely
– Encrypt all of the user’s files and hold them ransom
– Destroy all of the data on a victim system
32. What is the purpose of a file system?
The purpose of any file system, regardless of the OS, is to store and manage information. The file system
organizes information that users create as well as the OS files needed to boot the system, so the file system is
the most vital part of any OS. In some cases, this critical component of the OS can be a vulnerability.
33. What is Server Message Block (SMB) used for in Windows and can a hacker still damage a network using
SMB?
In Windows, Server Message Block (SMB) is used to share files and usually runs on top of NetBIOS,
NetBEUI, or TCP/IP. Several hacking tools that target SMB can still cause damage to Windows networks.
Two well-known SMB hacking tools are L0phtcrack’s SMB Packet Capture utility and SMBRelay, which
intercept SMB traffic and collect user names and password hashes.
34. Why is NetBIOS still used in Windows Operating Systems?
Systems running newer Windows OSs can share files and resources without using NetBIOS; however,
NetBIOS is still used for backward compatibility, which is important when corporate budgets don’t allow
upgrading every computer on the network. In addition, customer expectations must be met. Customers expect,
for example, that a document created in Word 97 can still be read in Word 2003. In fact, they demand it.
Therefore, software developers face the challenge of improving OS security yet still ensuring compatibility
with less secure predecessors.
35. What is the Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol?
Common Internet File System (CIFS) is a standardized protocol that replaced SMB in Windows 2000 Server
and later, but to allow backward compatibility, the original SMB is still used. CIFS is a remote file system
protocol that enables computers to share network resources over the Internet. In other words, files, folders,
printers, and other resources can be made available to users throughout a network. For sharing to occur, there
must be an infrastructure that allows placing these resources on the network and a method to control access to
resources.