Nt1330 Unit 1 Essay

Unit 1 Assignment 1:
Developments in Hacking, Cybercrime, and Malware
ITT Technical Institute

The number one web based attack of 2009 was Malicious PDF activity 49% of web based attacks--attempts to deliver malicious pdf content to victims through the web. The pdf attack is designed to exploit arbitrary vulnerabilities in applications that are able to process pdf’s. A successful pdf attack could compromise the integrity and security of affected computers. (Symantec Corporation, 2009)

The number two web based attack of 2009 was the Microsoft Internet Explorer ADODB.Stream Object file installation weakness. This exploit accounted for 18% of the total number of web based exploits for the year.This vulnerability allows hackers to install malicious files on a vulnerable computer when a user visits a website hosting an exploit. In
This attack works by enticing a victim to open a malicious web page. Once a user opens the web page it gives the attacker the ability to execute remote code on the victims computer. Since this is a browser based attack, it gives the hacker potentially more targets than relying on a plugin that may not get installed. (Symantec Corporation,
What makes the W32.Sality particularly nasty is that it can infect executable files on local, removable, and shared drives. W32.Sality is known as an (EPO) or entry point obscuring polymorphic file infector. Essentially, it’s a sophisticate worm-like virus that ensures its survival by downloading other malware and disabling security software. One of the most damaging features of the W32.Sality virus is how it decentralizes peer to peer networks with sophisticated code instruction that populates the network with infected computers. (W32.Sality.,