Sophos Threatsaurus (Final)
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) - answerA type of targeted attack. APTs are
characterized by an attacker who has time and resources to plan an infiltration into a
network.
Adware - answerSoftware that displays advertisements on your computer.
Anonymizing proxy - answerAllows the user to hide their web browsing activity. They
are often used to bypass web security filters—e.g., to access blocked sites from a work
computer.
Autorun worm - answerA malicious programs that take advantage of the Windows
AutoRun feature. They execute automatically when the device on which they are stored
is plugged into a computer.
Backdoor Trojan - answerAllows someone to take control of a user's computer without
their permission.
Boot sector malware - answerSpreads by modifying the program that enables your
computer to start up.
Botnet - answerA collection of infected computers that are remotely controlled by a
hacker.
Browser hijacker - answerChanges the default homepage and search engine in your
Internet browser without your permission.
Brute force attack - answerOne in which hackers try a large number of possible keyword
or password combinations to gain unauthorized access to a system or file.
Buffer overflow - answerOccurs when a program stores excess data by overwriting
other parts of the computer's memory, causing errors or crashes.
Command and control center - answerA computer that controls a botnet (a network of
compromised computers). Some botnets use distributed command and control systems,
making them more resilient.
Cookie - answerFiles placed on your computer that allow websites to remember details.
Data leakage - answerThe unauthorized exposure of information. It can result in data
theft or data loss.
Data theft - answerThe deliberate theft of information, rather than its accidental loss.
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) - answerA type of targeted attack. APTs are
characterized by an attacker who has time and resources to plan an infiltration into a
network.
Adware - answerSoftware that displays advertisements on your computer.
Anonymizing proxy - answerAllows the user to hide their web browsing activity. They
are often used to bypass web security filters—e.g., to access blocked sites from a work
computer.
Autorun worm - answerA malicious programs that take advantage of the Windows
AutoRun feature. They execute automatically when the device on which they are stored
is plugged into a computer.
Backdoor Trojan - answerAllows someone to take control of a user's computer without
their permission.
Boot sector malware - answerSpreads by modifying the program that enables your
computer to start up.
Botnet - answerA collection of infected computers that are remotely controlled by a
hacker.
Browser hijacker - answerChanges the default homepage and search engine in your
Internet browser without your permission.
Brute force attack - answerOne in which hackers try a large number of possible keyword
or password combinations to gain unauthorized access to a system or file.
Buffer overflow - answerOccurs when a program stores excess data by overwriting
other parts of the computer's memory, causing errors or crashes.
Command and control center - answerA computer that controls a botnet (a network of
compromised computers). Some botnets use distributed command and control systems,
making them more resilient.
Cookie - answerFiles placed on your computer that allow websites to remember details.
Data leakage - answerThe unauthorized exposure of information. It can result in data
theft or data loss.
Data theft - answerThe deliberate theft of information, rather than its accidental loss.
