Computer Security and Database Management

Cyberspace and Cyber Security Essentials of Cyberspace and Cyber-Security It is not surprising much focusing on the overall "security assessment" risk rating that appears at the top of the report. What is critical is the safety of the system bearing in mind the varied insecurity challenges faced with cyber security. While seeking to secure the computer, an efficient and reliable security guard has been installed on the computer.

The security system diagnoses and offers alternatives through which it can navigate through and protect the computer while eradicating the insecurity issue (Basta & Zgola, 2011). Moreover, any entry of the insecurity issue will be detected by the system, with the favorable response being provided as part of the options. Q2a MBSA takes a bit of time while checking for passwords. This time depends on how many user accounts are present on the computer.

Through password check, MBSA enumerates all the present user accounts within a target computer while carrying out limited attempts to change passwords with the use of its common password pitfalls like in the case when the password of an account is similar to its username. While seeking to reduce the consequences of weak password checks belonging to the domain controllers, it carries out a check of passwords against domain controllers, but not full checks since they will take time. Q2b.

All passwords are prone to attacks through different methods like phishing, dictionary-based attacks, and shoulder surfing. Weak passwords are more prone to attacks as they can be easily cracked or compromised. Their protection by the MBSA is not guaranteed since attempts to crack them become easy. MBSA does not carry out the full check of all passwords, either weak or strong, and hence the maker of the account should be careful enough to take care of this.

For corporate passwords, they are being accessed adversely, which increases their level of attacks. Having weak passwords will make them more prone to attacks, something that will lead to loss of corporate information. Q2c. Passwords are prone to be attacked at any time by attackers. Attackers target softer parts of the accounts and their accesses like passwords. The existence of a password expiration policy guarantees the protection and safety of passwords.

To mitigate the challenges likely to occur when an attacker acquires the password hashes for the system, password expiration hast to be set (Basta & Zgola, 2011). Moreover, this policy aid in minimizing some of the losses and risks associated with losing backups to an attacker. The policy is a safety measure used to protect against any potential risks of an account when the passwords are hacked. Q3a. When the passwords or any protection system is not active or updated, it loses its strength to protect against malware.

Malware keeps replicating the old version of the settings of a protection system like passwords and antivirus. When they are not updated, they lose their strength and become vulnerable to attacks. The replication of the processes of attacks finally gets to acquire the passwords or the strengths of the protector, thus affecting them. Updating the system and enabling setting of exceptions of the windows firewall aids in protecting against malware. Q3b.

The types of malware that could be used include Bots, Adware, bug, ransomware, rootkit, and spyware, Trojan horse, among others. The main steps characterize the process of removing malware. It is important to install and run firewall software and anti-malware software in a machine. When choosing malware, it is important to consider tools that assist in quarantining, detecting, and getting rid of many malware. As at lowest capability, the type of malware should just get rid of all malware like Trojan Horses, viruses, spyware, and worms.

When a firewall functions together with an anti-malware, the computer is protected against all the existing and incoming data since they are scanned and removes malware safely if it detects any of them. Second, it is important to keep all the operating systems and software updated, meaning; they should be having the most appropriate and up-to-date vulnerability patches. The work of these patches is that when they are released they aid in patching bugs and any other flaws in the security system that could be used to exploit the computer.

Third, the computer owner must be very vigilant when downloading data, programs, files, attachments, among others. Downloads that do not have security details attached should be avoided at all times. Q4. Conficker is a computer worm that targets the Microsoft Windows operating system. The worm was first detected in 2008. When a computer has flaws in the Windows operating system with presence of dictionary attacks on passwords, Conficker attacks these sections and propagates as it forms the botnet.

It has become difficult to deal with this worm since it is a combination of many malware and malware techniques. Conficker can attack a computer and then it spreads itself through networks automatically to other computers even without human aid. Conficker does some things on a computer. It attacks the MS08-067 vulnerability in the server service. It disables critical system services together with security products like Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender, and others like Windows Update. It necessitates download of arbitrary files in a computer (Ben-Natan, 2005).

Moreover, Conficker prevents the user of a computer from visiting websites like those that allow someone to download security updates. Conficker spreads throughout the computer and from one computer to another in some ways. It copies itself into the Windows system folder. It also spreads through file sharing, through removable drives, through USB drives, among other methods that have weak password protections. Conficker adds a file to the removable drive such that when the drive comes to use, the autoplay dialogue box will have an additional file.

Conficker works in a multifaceted manner. When the computer is infected, the owner of the computer will not be able to download files that will aid in protection, like Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. Moreover, one will not be able to access particular websites like Microsoft Update (Goodrich & Tamassia, 2010). MBSA is a freely available tool that can be used to gauge the patch management efforts. It detects missing file updates together with any other poor configuration of the operating system.

MBSA does an examination of the Microsoft SQL server together.