Question

What is the difference between virus and malware? Briefly explain DoS attack, Phishing attack, and MITM attack.

Hint:

Viruses are a subset of malware that self-replicate. DoS attacks disrupt services; phishing deceives users for data; MITM intercepts and alters communication.

Answer 1

Difference between Virus and Malware: A virus is a specific type of malicious software that attaches itself to legitimate programs or files and spreads from one computer to another by inserting its code into other software or files. Viruses usually require user interaction to execute and propagate, such as opening an infected file or running a program. Malware, short for malicious software, is a broader term encompassing any software designed to harm, exploit, or compromise computer systems. This includes viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, adware, and more. Malware can spread through different methods and may not require user action for infection. DoS Attack (Denial of Service): A DoS attack aims to make a computer system or network resource unavailable to its intended users by overwhelming it with a flood of illegitimate traffic or requests. This exhausts the target’s resources (bandwidth, CPU, memory), causing it to slow down or crash, thus denying service to legitimate users. Phishing Attack: Phishing is a social engineering technique where attackers masquerade as trustworthy entities, often via emails or fake websites, to trick users into divulging sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details. Phishing attacks exploit human psychology and trust rather than technical vulnerabilities. MITM Attack (Man-In-The-Middle): A MITM attack occurs when an attacker secretly intercepts, relays, and possibly alters communications between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other. This allows the attacker to steal sensitive data, inject malicious content, or impersonate one of the parties.