Viruses and ”Malicious
Programs”
Data and Network Security 1
Viruses and ”Malicious
Programs”
• Computer “Viruses” and related programs have the
ability to replicate themselves on an ever increasing
number of computers. They originally spread by people
sharing floppy disks. Now they spread primarily over
the Internet (a “Worm”).
• Other “Malicious Programs” may be installed by hand on
a single machine. They may also be built into widely
distributed commercial software packages. These are
very hard to detect before the payload activates
(Trojan Horses, Trap Doors, and Logic Bombs).
Data and Network Security 2
Taxanomy of Malicious Programs
Malicious
Programs
Need Host Independent
Program
Trapdoors Logic Trojan Viruses Bacteria Worms
Bombs Horses
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Definitions
• Virus - code that copies itself into other programs.
• A “Bacteria” replicates until it fills all disk space, or
CPU cycles.
• Payload - harmful things the malicious program does,
after it has had time to spread.
• Worm - a program that replicates itself across the
network (usually riding on email messages or attached
documents (e.g., macro viruses).
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Definitions
• Trojan Horse - instructions in an otherwise good
program that cause bad things to happen (sending
your data or password to an attacker over the net).
• Logic Bomb - malicious code that activates on an
event (e.g., date).
• Trap Door (or Back Door) - undocumented entry point
written into code for debugging that can allow
unwanted users.
• Easter Egg - extraneous code that does something
“cool.” A way for programmers to show that they
control the product.
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Types of Viruses
• Parasitic Virus - attaches itself to executable files as part
of their code. Runs whenever the host program runs.
• Memory-resident Virus - Lodges in main memory as part of
the residual operating system.
• Boot Sector Virus - infects the boot sector of a disk, and
spreads when the operating system boots up (original DOS
viruses).
• Stealth Virus - explicitly designed to hide from Virus
Scanning programs.
• Polymorphic Virus - mutates with every new host to prevent
signature detection.
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Virus Phases
• Dormant phase - the virus is idle
• Propagation phase - the virus places an identical
copy of itself into other programs
• Triggering phase – the virus is activated to
perform the function for which it was intended
• Execution phase – the function is performed
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Macro Viruses
• Microsoft Office applications allow “macros” to be
part of the document. The macro could run whenever
the document is opened, or when a certain command is
selected (Save File).
• Platform independent.
• Infect documents, delete files, generate email and
edit letters.
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Antivirus Approaches
1st Generation, Scanners: searched files for any of a
library of known virus “signatures.” Checked
executable files for length changes.
2nd Generation, Heuristic Scanners: looks for more
general signs than specific signatures (code
segments common to many viruses). Checked files
for checksum or hash changes.
3rd Generation, Activity Traps: stay resident in
memory and look for certain patterns of software
behavior (e.g., scanning files).
4th Generation, Full Featured: combine the best of
the techniques above.
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Advanced Antivirus
Techniques
• Generic Decryption (GD)
– CPU Emulator
– Virus Signature Scanner
– Emulation Control Module
• For how long should a GD scanner run
each interpretation?
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Virus Protection
Have a well-known virus protection program, configured to
scan disks and downloads automatically for known viruses.
Do not execute programs (or "macro's") from unknown
sources (e.g., PS files, Hypercard files, MS Office documents,
Avoid the most common operating systems and email
programs, if possible.
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