28 Jan Format: Microsoft Word

COM520 Systems Security Management

Module 3 Written Assignment

COM520 Written Assignment 3

Assignment: Identifying Types of Malware Infection

Assignment Requirements

You have learned that any computer or device can be vulnerable to malware. Vulnerabilities differ

depending on how the computer or device is used and what software is installed. For each of the

scenarios listed on the worksheet, select the most likely type of malware that is present on the computer

or device and provide a rationale for doing so.

Select from:

a. Virus

b. Worm

c. Trojan horse

d. Rootkit

e. Spyware

Suspected malware scenarios:

_________ 1. You notice that your computer is getting slower each day. You have terminated

unneeded programs, disabled unneeded services, and have recently defragmented

the disks. Your computer has plenty of memory but it still seems slow. Since it only

started getting slow within the last two weeks—you suspect malware. You have

carefully examined each of the programs running but there are no unusual programs.

However, you do notice that there is a substantial disk activity, even when no

programs are running that should be using the disk. What kind of malware do you

think is present in your computer?

_________ 2. You downloaded a new program to display the current weather on your desktop.

Since you installed the weather application, you noticed a lot of network activity, and

your computer is getting slow. When you terminate the weather application your

computer speeds up. What kind of malware do you think is present in your computer?

_________ 3. Within a week after ordering a new widescreen television (TV) from an online retailer,

you start getting many e-mail messages advertising products related to TVs. What

kind of malware do you think is present in your computer?

_________ 4. You downloaded a new game to your personal mobile device that runs Windows

Mobile. You notice on your mobile service bill that several charges appeared for calls

to premium numbers that started three days after loading the new game. What kind

of malware do you think is present in your computer?

Submission Requirements

? Format: Microsoft Word

? Font: Arial, Size 12, Double-Space

? Citation Style: APA Style

? Length: 1–2 pages

Self-Assessment Checklist

? I have matched correctly each type of malware with each scenario.

? I have provided a sound rationale for each answer.