Malicious code

As explained in Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 2 Advanced Networking and Security

Malware is software designed to perform malicious actions or compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of systems or data.

Malicious code, or malware, is harmful software that infects a target computer and performs malicious actions. It is treated as a technical threat because it can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of systems or data. section 11.6 section 11.2.1

Recognize malware in these security relationships:

• A botnet is a group of devices infected with malware and used to attack a target from multiple devices. section 11.2.1 section 11.6
• A distributed denial-of-service attack uses such a botnet to disrupt a target’s availability. section 11.2.1 section 11.6
• Distinguish malware from an exploit, threat, vulnerability, and mitigation: malware is the harmful software, while the others describe weaknesses, possibilities, risks, or protections. section 11.6

Malware-enabled DDoS

An attacker uses a botnet of malware-infected devices to flood a target with TCP SYN messages. The resulting half-open connections fill the target’s TCP connection table and prevent legitimate connections. section 11.2.1 section 11.6

Figure 11.2 A TCP SYN flood attack—an example of a DoS attack. (1) The target is flooded with SYN messages and (2) replies with SYN-ACK messages. (3) The half-open TCP connections prevent the target from accepting legitimate TCP connections.

Trace how a SYN flood consumes connection capacity; the distributed form can be generated by a malware-based botnet. section 11.2.1

How Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 2 Advanced Networking and Security covers it

How deep it goes

Defines malware as harmful software that infects targets and performs malicious actions, then connects it to botnets and DDoS.

Examples

Uses malware-infected botnets and TCP SYN floods to illustrate distributed denial-of-service attacks.

What you can do after

Evaluate malware’s role in technical threats and recognize its connection to botnets and distributed denial-of-service.

How it connects

Connects malware with botnets, distributed denial-of-service, denial-of-service, availability, and the CIA triad.

liveBookmanning.com

Read Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 2 Advanced Networking and Security on liveBook Get the book at manning.com

Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  AI for Everyday ITMalware is software intentionally designed to damage systems, disrupt operations, or gain unauthorized access to data or resources.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Grokking Web Application SecurityMalicious code is program code intended to perform unauthorized, harmful, or security-compromising actions.

Compare how 3 books explain malicious code →

Related concepts

• ransomwareincludes · Ransomware is malicious software or a cyberattack that restricts access to data or systems, typically to extort payment or another concession.
• file uploadused by · A file upload is the transfer of a file from a client or user device to a software system over a network for storage, processing, or analysis.
• Trojan horseincludes · A Trojan horse is malicious software that appears legitimate while concealing functions that compromise security or exploit the user's authorization.
• threat landscapepart of · A threat landscape is the set of threats, adversaries, attack methods, vulnerabilities, and evolving risks relevant to an organization or environment.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 2 Advanced Networking and Security. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.