Describe active attacks and passive attacks.
Active Attacks
Active attacks refer to attacks where the attacker attempts to modify or disrupt the normal operation of a system or network. This type of attack often involves the attacker gaining access to the system or network through some sort of vulnerability or weakness and then taking actions to cause harm.
Common examples of active attacks include:
- Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks: DoS attacks are designed to overload a network or website with traffic, making it unavailable to users.
- Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks: A MitM attack occurs when an attacker intercepts communications between two parties in order to steal data or modify the contents of the communication.
- Malware attacks: Malware is a type of software that is designed to harm a computer system. It can include viruses, worms, and Trojan horses.
- Password attacks: This involves guessing or cracking passwords to gain unauthorized access to a system or network.
- Phishing attacks: Phishing is an attack where attackers send emails or messages that appear to come from a trusted source in order to trick users into providing sensitive information or downloading malware.
Passive Attacks
Passive attacks are attacks where the attacker simply monitors or eavesdrops on a system or network without attempting to modify or disrupt its normal operation. Passive attacks are often used to gather information, such as login credentials or other sensitive data, that can be used in later attacks.
Common examples of passive attacks include:
- Footprinting: This is the process of gathering as much information as possible about the target company's network, hardware, software, and employees.
- Traffic analysis: This involves analyzing network traffic as it moves to and from the target systems.
- Dumpster diving: In this type of attack, attackers look for information stored on discarded devices or even passwords in trash bins.
- Network scanning: This involves identifying and mapping out the devices and services on a network without actually interacting with them.
| On the basis of | Active Attacks | Passive Attacks |
|---|---|---|
| Modification | Modification of information happens in an active attack. | Modification of information does not happen in a passive attack. |
| Threat | Active attack poses a threat to integrity and availability. | Confidentiality is at risk from passive attacks. |
| Focus | During an active attack, the focus is on detection. | During a passive attack, the focus is on avoiding harm. |
| Harm | An Active Attack can damage the system. | There is no harm to the system due to the passive attack. |
| Victim | In an active attack, the victim is notified of the attack. | The victim is not notified of the attack. |
| System Resources | System Resources can be changed in active attack. | System Resources are not changed in passive attack. |
| Prevention | In comparison to a passive attack, an active attack is much harder to prevent. | In comparison to an active attack, a passive attack is much easier to prevent. |
| Detection | Can be easily detected. | Very difficult to detect. |
| Duration | The duration of an active attack is short. | The duration of a passive attack is long. |