A Trojan can be detected in many ways. Port scanning, which can prove very effective if you know what to look for. Because a Trojan is used to allow access through backdoors or covert channels, a port must be opened to allow this communication. A port scan using a tool such as Nmap reveals these … Read more
One of the older and potentially widely misunderstood forms of malware is the Trojan. Simply put, a Trojan is a software application that is designed to provide covert access to a victim’s system. The malicious code is packaged in such a way that it appears harmless and thus gets around both the scrutiny of the … Read more
A relatively new type of software is scareware. This type of malware warns the victim of potential harm that could befall them if they don’t take some action. Typically, this action involves providing a credit card or doing something else to buy a utility they need to clean their system. In many cases, the utility … Read more
Adware is a well-known type of malware. Many systems are actively infected with this type of malware from the various installations and other activities they perform. When this type of software is deployed onto a victim’s system, it displays ads, pop-ups, and nag screens, and may even change the start page of the browser. Typically, … Read more
Spyware is a type of malware that is designed to collect and forward information regarding a victim’s activities to an interested party. The defining characteristic is that the application acts behind the scenes to gather this information without the user’s consent or knowledge. The information gathered by spyware can be anything that the creator of … Read more
Worms are an advanced form of malware, compared to viruses, and have different goals in many cases. One of the main characteristics of worms is their inherent ability to replicate and spread across networks extremely quickly, as the previous Slammer example demonstrated. Most worms share certain features that help define how they work and what … Read more
When we speak of viruses, the topic of worms is not far behind. They are another major menace. Unlike viruses, which by definition require some sort of action to occur in order to trigger their mischief, worms are entirely self replicating. Worms effectively use the power of networks, malware, and speed to spread very dangerous … Read more
The process of developing a virus is very methodical. The author is concerned with creating an effective virus that can be spread easily. The process occurs in six steps: 1. Design. The author envisions and creates the virus. The author may choose to create the virus completely from scratch or use one of the many … Read more
A virus represents the oldest form of malware and is by far the best known to the public. But what is a virus? What separates a virus from other forms of malware? How is a virus created, and how does it target its victim? This section explores these questions and how they affect you, the … Read more
Ethical hackers should be mindful of the web of laws that relates to the deployment and use of malware. Over the years, malware has been subjected to increasing legal attention as the technology has evolved from being harmless to much more malicious and expansive in its abilities. The creation and use of malware have led … Read more