VIRUSES AND TROJANS

WHAT A VIRUS IS?

Viruses are the programs(simple codes written mainly in assembly level language) ,to compromise your system's security in some or other way.

The term "virus" was first introduced in year 1985, by fred cohen in his graduate thesis,later these programs were called as "living programs",living because they have ability to ride over and exploit other programs.Moreover, their ability to fight for their survival by changing forms made it resemble a "unicellular organism" thus named "virus".

One more notable point is that not all viruses are harmful infact, some of the found to be very useful ,for example, a virus called "cruncher" compresses the executable files thus saves the disk space for you.

VIRUS PROBLEM:

Though, a few of the are useful but, most of them are often programmed to harm your system; once your system is compromised...

Now, one can say that "I use a antivirus ,so why should i worry?",then let me tell you my friend, most of the updates of these programs are configured from virus information received from you only, moreover, whenever a new virus is found antivirus communities does research work on them and then the information comes to you as a update. But, my friend this process takes time(one or more month) there are chance that u got infected before the update information reaches you.

Now,again a user can say "I just do check my mails and a few similar sort of things so such things cannot happen to me!". so, lets do a test, tell me "How many of you have ever downloaded a attachment file(or a game), on which when you clicked they appears to do nothing?". Probably, most of you. So here follows a discussion....

TROJAN HORSE:

Trojan horses are the most compromising software ever-seen.The history reveals their usefulness to Greeks, to win a impossible (to won otherwise) war....

Even today, these are found to be responsible for almost all windows based machine being compromised. They give hackers a remote-control over your machine.

Utilities commonly associated with a Trojan horse program are:

• Opening your CD-ROM drive.





• Capture screen-shots of your computer.





• Record your key-strokes and send them to hacker.





• Full access to all your drives and files.





• Ability to use your computer as a bridge for other hacking related activities.





• Disable your key-board\mouse and much more.....

For among most common Trojans(for example,sub7,net bus,pro rat, etc.), all have two parts:-

1. SERVER:- server should be installed on your computer in order to , so that your computer is compromised.

2. CLINT:-Clint is used by hacker to control your system.

The next target of a hacker would be install server on your computer by fooling you.

Method-1:

Send "server file" directly to you through email, of course, by renaming it as something else say "cricket.exe", once you downloaded the attachment and clicked on it ,nothing at all seems to hap pend(suspicious,but u ignored it). The server is now silently installed and your system's security is compromised.

As method-1, may create suspicion so method-2 ,

Method-2:

Hackers camouflage the server with some legitimate "executable file".

for example,

Cricket.exe + Serve.exe=A.exe (say)

SIZE: 6,239kb + 365kb = 6,604kb

The server in our example is attached with cricket(game), which is a legitimate file, to form a new file called "A.exe"; now the hacker will rename it as "Cricket.exe". As one can see that the only difference between binded(with server) and unbinded "Cricket.exe" is a little increment in size which ,largely remain un noticed.Once you downloaded the file and installed the "Server.exe" file is also installed along-with "Cricket.exe", so no chance of suspicion even.

GRAPEVINE:

Once you received such a infected file, say you send a copy of the "Cricket.exe" to your friend (though, un-knowingly), virus is also transmitted.

The matter of compensation of arose particularly when:

1. You do some kind of online transaction-even if your bank uses say a 128-bit security system, what is the use when your password and id is already sent(by keylogger) with a screen-shot of bank you are dealing with.

2.Tell me how many of you have your resumes stored in your system, probably they contain all the informations, your name,how you look like, your family background, with whome you are working and worked etc.

3.Not all but, some Trojans can send your pictures taken using your own web-camera and can be sent to hacker.No need to tell what security threat they impose on you an and your family. so,"How many of you use web-cams?"

In light of the above given facts, surely you don't want your system to be compromised.....

For further reference,

1. MAXIMUM SECURITY at, www.amazon.com/Maximumsecurity-Hackers-Protecting-Internet/dp/1575212684

2.THE HAPPY HACKERS at, www.amazon.com/Happy-Hackers-Harmless-Computer-Hacking/dp/0929408349

3. LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF COMPUTER VIRUS: www.amazon.com/Little-Black-Book-Computer-Viruses/dp/0929408020

4. GIANT BLACK BOOK OF COMPUTER VIRUSES: www.amazon.com/Giant-Black-Book-Computer-Viruses/dp/0929408233

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