ITPEC IP April 2019 Question 38
When a user accessed the URL in the body of an e-mail message with a PC, the message shown in the figure appeared on the screen and the PC was locked. What is used in this attack?
Explanation
Ransomware — the PC is locked and money is demanded in exchange for the password to unlock it.
The message has every mark of ransomware: the PC is locked, a password is needed to unlock it, the password is offered for a payment within 48 hours, and the victim is threatened with permanent loss. The PC was infected when the user opened the URL in the e-mail, a malicious site that downloaded the malware.
Answer (d)
Why not others:
- •(a) Keylogger — silently records keystrokes to steal passwords; it does not lock the PC or announce itself
- •(b) Spyware — covertly collects information about the user and sends it out; it hides rather than making demands
- •(c) Bot — lets an attacker control the PC remotely, for example to send spam or join a DDoS attack; it also stays hidden
Key rule: Malware that shows itself and asks for payment is ransomware; most other malware (spyware, keyloggers, bots) tries to go unnoticed.
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