Seguridad y pruebas en software

What is malware and what are its types?

The term malware, a contraction of "malicious software", refers to any program or file intentionally designed to cause damage to a system, network or device. Knowing the different types of malware is essential for any cybersecurity professional. Among the most recognized types are:

• Viruses: Programs that replicate by infecting other software files.
• Trojans: They hide inside programs that appear to be legitimate in order to deceive the user.
• Rootkits: They seek to gain unauthorized access to the system at the administration level.
• Worms: Self-proclaim themselves on networks to spread across multiple systems.

Detecting and mitigating each type of malware requires different controls and strategies, which is crucial to protect any organization.

What are the main types of cyber attacks?

Understanding the most common attacks our organization may be subject to is essential. Tools such as the OWASP Top 10 provide a list of the main vulnerabilities, classifying them into specific categories. They can be:

• For websites: Includes attacks such as SQL injections or cross-site request forgery (CSRF).
• For mobile applications: It is essential to review vulnerabilities in applications that interact directly with users.
• For AI applications: In this new era, it is also important to protect systems that employ AI and language models such as ChatGPT.

Knowing these categories helps professionals identify vulnerabilities and protect their systems effectively.

What industry standards are important in cybersecurity?

Standards are critical for classifying and comparing vulnerabilities, as well as measuring their criticality. Among the most important are:

• CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures): A system that provides a reference number for known vulnerabilities, facilitating their identification and tracking.

• CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration): Lists the types of weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities in systems, allowing them to be effectively classified.

• CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System): A system that assigns scores to reflect the criticality of a vulnerability. For example, understanding that a score of 5 is medium and 9 is critical is key to prioritizing the response.

These standards help organizations maintain a proactive and well-informed security posture.

How to prevent the installation of a Trojan?

The key to preventing Trojans lies in understanding their nature. A Trojan disguises itself within a seemingly legitimate program. Therefore, a key prevention practice is:

• Prevent downloads from untrusted app stores: this minimizes the risk of inadvertently downloading a program with an encapsulated Trojan.

By focusing on downloading software only from trusted and official sources, you can drastically reduce the likelihood of falling victim to a Trojan.

Tips for preparing for cybersecurity certification

Finally, understanding the above elements will not only prepare you for the certification exam, but also for real-life cybersecurity situations. It is not necessary to remember the malware creator or the details of a specific attack, but rather to understand the concepts and how to apply them. Practicing with scenario questions can improve your ability to classify and respond to potential security situations. Additional resources, such as quizzes and hands-on exercises, will provide the opportunity to reinforce your understanding and skills. Keep learning and never stop exploring the field of cybersecurity!