The security requirements triad is a three- Hackers: Hackers are system intruders who typically consists of three parts:
three parts: the infection
part model used to ensure that security
requirements are adequately addressed
when designing a system. The three
components of the triad are confidentiality,
integrity, and availability. Confidentiality
ensures that information is only accessible to
authorized individuals or entities. Integrity
ensures that information is accurate and
complete. Availability ensures that
information is accessible to authorized users
when needed. Together, these three
components form the foundation for a secure
system.
TYPES OF SECURITY INTRUDERS
Masqueraders: Masqueraders are system
intruders who attempt to gain access to a
system by posing as a legitimate user. They
use stolen credentials or fake identities to
gain access to a system. Examples of
masqueraders include identity thieves,
phishers, and social engineers.
use various techniques to gain unauthorized mechanism, the trigger, and the payload.
access to a system. They use software and
Infection mechanism: This refers to the
other tools to exploit system vulnerabilities
method by which the virus infects a
and gain access to confidential data or
computer or network. Some common
perform malicious activities. Examples of
infection mechanisms include email
hackers include black hat hackers, script
attachments, infected websites, software
kiddies, and cyber criminals.
downloads, and USB drives. The virus may
Clandestine Users: Clandestine users are exploit vulnerabilities in the operating system
system intruders who attempt to gain access or other software to gain access to the
to a system without being detected. They system and replicate itself.
use techniques such as hiding their identity,
Trigger: The trigger is a condition that must
using proxies, and using encryption to
be met for the virus to activate or execute.
remain undetected. Examples of clandestine
This can be a specific date and time, the
users include spies, terrorists, and corporate
presence of certain files or data on the
espionage agents.
infected system, or a user action such as
opening a particular file or running a specific
program. Once the trigger is met, the virus
PARTS OF A VIRUS
will begin to execute its payload.
A computer virus is a type of malicious
software (malware) that can replicate itself
and spread from one computer to another. It
Payload: The payload is the harmful or
unwanted effect that the virus is designed to
achieve. This can include stealing sensitive
information, deleting files, corrupting data,
displaying unwanted messages, or turning
the infected computer into a botnet or
zombie that can be controlled by the
attacker.
In summary, the infection mechanism is how
the virus spreads, the trigger is the condition
that activates it, and the payload is the
harmful or unwanted effect it causes.
Understanding these parts of a virus is
essential for developing effective strategies
to prevent and mitigate the damage caused
by malware infections.
STAGES OF A VIRUS
A computer virus typically goes through
several stages during its lifecycle. These
stages can be broadly categorized into four Execution phase: In this phase, the virus
phases: dormant phase, propagation phase, executes its code and performs its intended
triggering phase, and execution phase. malicious activities. This can include deleting
files, stealing sensitive information,
Dormant phase: In this phase, the virus is
corrupting data, displaying unwanted
dormant or inactive and does not perform
messages, or turning the infected computer
any malicious activities. It may be present on
into a botnet or zombie that can be
a computer or network, but it does not
controlled by the attacker.
execute its code or cause any harm.
It's worth noting that not all viruses follow this
Propagation phase: In this phase, the virus
exact sequence of stages, and some may
spreads or propagates to other computers or
have additional or different phases
networks. This is typically achieved through
depending on their specific characteristics
the virus's infection mechanism, which may
and design. However, understanding the
involve exploiting vulnerabilities in software
general stages of a virus can be helpful in
or hardware, infecting files, or tricking users
developing effective strategies to prevent,
into executing the virus.
detect, and mitigate the damage caused by
Triggering phase: In this phase, the virus malware infections.
waits for a specific trigger or event to occur
before it activates. The trigger can be a
certain date and time, a user action, the
presence of specific files or data, or other
conditions.
EXAMPLE
The "I Love You" virus, also known as the
Love Bug, is a computer virus that caused
widespread damage in 2000. It is an
example of a virus that follows a specific
sequence of stages, including:
Dormant phase: The virus arrives on a
victim's computer as an email attachment
with the subject line "I love you." When the
attachment is opened, the virus enters the
dormant phase and does not immediately
cause any harm.
Propagation phase: The virus starts to
replicate itself and send copies to the victim's
email contacts, spreading rapidly across
networks and causing significant damage. It
also overwrites files on the victim's computer
and may download and install additional
malware.
Triggering phase: The virus is triggered
when the victim opens the email attachment.
This action causes the virus to execute its
code and start replicating itself.
Execution phase: In this phase, the virus
carries out its malicious activities, including
overwriting files on the victim's computer,
stealing passwords and other sensitive
information, and downloading and installing
additional malware.
The "I Love You" virus is notable for its
effective social engineering tactics, which
tricked victims into opening the infected
email attachment. It also highlights the
importance of user awareness and education
in preventing malware infections. Overall,
understanding the stages of the "I Love You"
virus and other malware can help individuals
and organizations develop better strategies
to protect their computer systems and data
from cyber threats.