Unit 2 Vocabulary

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Malware

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Malicious software designed to disrupt computer operations, gather sensitive data, or gain unauthorized access.

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Ransomware

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Encrypts a victim's files, making them inaccessible. The attacker demands a ransom payment to provide a decryption key.

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Worm

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A standalone malicious program that replicates and spreads to other computers on a network without needing to attach to a host file or program.

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Trojan

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Masquerades as a legitimate program to trick users into downloading it. Once inside, it can delete, modify, or steal data.

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Adware

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Automatically displays unwanted advertisements, sometimes tracking user browsing habits to collect personal information.

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Spyware

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Infiltrates a device to secretly collect information like keystrokes and browsing history, which can be used for identity theft or fraud.

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Rootkit

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A collection of tools that gives an attacker 'root' or administrative access to a computer, often while remaining hidden.

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Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attack

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An attacker intercepts communication between two parties to eavesdrop on or alter data being transmitted.

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DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) Attack

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Floods a network or system with traffic from multiple sources, making it unavailable to legitimate users.

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Phishing

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A social engineering attack that tricks a user into giving up sensitive information, often through fraudulent emails or websites.