Malicious Attacks

1. Alex Heinricher Kun H. Lee Adrian Trejo Angela DiTaranto Malicious Attacks

2. What Are Malicious Attacks • Any attempt to gain information through social or software engineering • Phishing • Malware • Viruses • Trojan Horses • Worms

3. Background: Then • First Virus: Creeper, 1971 • Infected specific computers with specific operating systems connected to the ARPANET • First Record of “Phishing”: 1987 • First Detected on AOL • Infiltrated groups already involved in pirated software/other illicit information transfers

4. Background: Now • Advanced Viruses • Polymorphic • Metamorphic • Self-encrypting, self-concealing • Advanced Phishing • Copy reputable agencies • Use advanced social engineering

5. Criticism • Malicious attacks over a computer network or through removable media aim at destroying data or damaging infrastructure or worse, stealing data that can be used in any number of ways that are also harmful • Those who carry out these acts are not prosecuted as much as those criminals who commit less harmful crimes • Laws against attacks of these types should be implemented much more often and carry harsher punishments in order to discourage people trying to attack other computers

6. Criticism • Every year, the United States and many other countries spend millions of dollars a year trying to combat these electronic attacks but there seems to be no solution on the horizon • Malicious attacks also take advantage of the inexperienced because they have not yet learned how to discern a threat from something benign and this leads to thousands of people falling victim and having their identities or money stolen

9. PROTECT YOURSELVES!