CompTIA A+ IT Security Essentials: Understanding Malware and Threats

Ransomware is a type of malware that aims to extort money from victims by restricting access to their system or data. Spyware, adware, and Trojan horse are all different types of malware with distinct functionalities.

Tailgating refers to the practice of gaining unauthorized access to restricted areas by closely following another person, typically through a secure door or gate. It is a security risk in many organizations and facilities.

A worm is a type of malicious software that can self-replicate and spread independently, unlike viruses that require a host program to replicate. Trojans are malicious programs that disguise themselves as legitimate software. Spyware is software that secretly gathers information about a user's computer activities.

Social engineering attacks involve manipulating individuals into divulging confidential information, breaching security protocols, or gaining unauthorized access. Spear phishing, Tailgating, and Shoulder Surfing are examples of such attacks, while Malware, Firewall, and Encryption are not direct forms of social engineering tactics.

A botnet consists of compromised computers or devices that are under the control of a hacker or group of hackers. These compromised systems are typically used to carry out various malicious activities such as DDoS attacks, spamming, data theft, and more.

Spyware is a type of malicious software that covertly collects personal information about users. Adware is software that displays advertisements on a computer, ransomware encrypts files on a computer and demands payment for their release, and a Trojan horse is a program that appears to be useful or harmless but actually carries out hidden malicious functions.

A virus is a type of malware that self-replicates by inserting its code into other programs. Trojans are malware that pretend to be legitimate but actually have malicious intent. Worms are self-replicating malware, like viruses, but do not need to attach to other programs. Adware is advertising-supported software that display ads to the user.

A Trojan horse is a type of malware that misleads users of its true intent. Worms replicate themselves to spread to other computers. Spyware collects information without the user's knowledge. Ransomware encrypts files and demands payment for decryption.

Spear phishing is a type of phishing attack that targets a specific group of individuals or organizations, usually with a high level of personalization to increase the chances of success. Whaling, Pharming, and Vishing are also types of cyber attacks, but they do not specifically target a particular group in the same way as spear phishing.

Zero-day attacks take advantage of vulnerabilities that are not known to the software developer or vendor, making them difficult to defend against.

A 'Zombie' computer is one that has been infected and is under the control of a remote hijacker. 'Bot', 'Spyware', and 'Phishing' are incorrect as they refer to different types of cyber threats.

A rootkit is specifically designed to hide the presence of certain processes or programs from normal methods of detection. Malware, spyware, and firewalls serve different purposes in cybersecurity.

A backdoor is a method of bypassing normal authentication processes in a software program, online service, or computer system. It may be undocumented and intentionally created by the software developers for troubleshooting or administrative purposes, but it can also be exploited maliciously by attackers to gain unauthorized access.

Shoulder surfing refers to the act of spying on someone's computer screen or keyboard to obtain sensitive information. Phishing, social engineering, and data breaches are also common methods used by hackers to obtain confidential data, but they do not involve physically observing someone's actions.

A brute-force attack is a trial-and-error method used to obtain information such as a user password or personal identification number (PIN). In a brute-force attack, automated software is used to generate a large number of consecutive guesses as to the value of the desired data. The correct answer is 'True' because this type of attack relies on computational power to try all possible combinations until the correct one is found.

A dictionary attack involves trying to login with a list of common words or passwords, while a brute force attack tries all possible combinations. Phishing attacks involve tricking individuals into giving away sensitive information, and SQL injection attacks target databases.

Malware is a broad category of harmful software that includes viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and more. Spyware, adware, and phishing are specific types of malware that serve different purposes.

Social engineering involves psychological manipulation to deceive individuals into divulging confidential information. Phishing, malware, and denial of service are common cyber security threats but do not involve the same manipulation of people for information retrieval.

In the context of cybersecurity, spoofing is the act of disguising communication from an unknown source as being from a known, trusted source. Phishing, malware, and ransomware are different types of cyber threats that involve deceptive tactics to trick users into taking actions that compromise security.

Phishing is a type of social engineering attack that involves sending fraudulent communications that appear to come from a reputable source. Spoofing involves falsifying the sender's information to make it appear as though it is coming from a different source. Hacking involves unauthorized access to a computer system. Social engineering is a broader term that encompasses various manipulation techniques to gain confidential information.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is commonly targeted in spoofing attacks to send forged emails. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is primarily used for web communication and not typically targeted in spoofing attacks. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a foundational protocol for internet communication but not directly involved in common spoofing attacks. DNS (Domain Name System) is crucial for translating domain names to IP addresses and is not a primary target for spoofing attacks.

Network Access Control (NAC) is a security solution that enforces security policies on devices attempting to access a network. It can detect if antivirus software is outdated and restrict access based on that.