ITPEC IP April 2020 Question 43

Infection can reach the firmware embedded in a device — malware can rewrite any code stored in rewritable memory, not only the OS and applications.

Firmware such as a PC's BIOS or UEFI, or the control program of a router, a printer or a USB device, is stored in rewritable flash memory. Malware that overwrites it runs before the OS starts, survives reinstalling the OS and is hard for security software to detect.

Answer (a)

Why not others:

• •(b) — a USB memory or other removable medium can carry an infected file or program, so a computer that is never connected to a network can still be infected
• •(c) — reversed: a computer found to be infected is disconnected from the network first, so the malware cannot spread or leak data, and the administrator is informed
• •(d) — malware also arrives by viewing web pages (drive-by downloads), through unpatched vulnerabilities and on removable media, so not opening attachments is not enough

Key rule: Any channel that brings in data can carry malware and any rewritable code can be its target; when infection is found, isolate the computer from the network before anything else.

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