Unstructured threats often involve
unfocused assaults on one or more network systems, often by individuals with
limited or developing skills. The systems being attacked and infected are
probably unknown to the perpetrator. These attacks are often the result of
people with limited integrity and too much time on their hands. Malicious intent
might or might not exist, but there is always indifference to the resulting
damage caused to others.
The Internet has many sites where the curious can select program
codes, such as a virus, worm, or Trojan horse, often with instructions that can
be modified or redistributed as is. In all cases, these items are small programs
written by a human being. They aren’t alive and they can’t evolve spontaneously
from nothing. Some common terms to be aware of include the following:
The person launching an unstructured attack is often referred to
as a script kiddy because that person often lacks the
skills to develop the threat themselves, but can pass it on anonymously (they
think) and gain some perverse sense of satisfaction from the result. E-mail
delivery methods have replaced “shared” game disks as the vehicle of choice for
distributing this type of attack.
|
Note |
The term “script kiddy” is a common derogatory term and
should be used with caution, if at all. Script kiddy is included here so you
know what it means. Remember, the difference between an unstructured attack and
a series of all-out denial-of-service attacks might be that the latter attacker
is offended or angry. |
Unstructured attacks involving code that reproduces itself and
mails a copy to everyone in the person’s e-mail address book can easily circle
the globe in a few hours, causing problems for networks and individuals all over
the world. While the original intent might have been more thoughtless than
malicious, the result can be a loss of user access while systems are being
protected, a loss of reputation if the news that a company’s site has been
attacked, or a loss of user freedoms as more-restrictive policies and practices
are implemented to defend against additional attacks.
In some organizations, if the network is down, entire groups of
people can’t do their jobs, so they’re either sent home or they sit and wait
without pay because their income is tied to sales. So even if the hacker
“thought” no one would be hurt, the result is often that they just beat some
single parent or new hire out of a day’s pay.
Each of these results can be quantified in currency and often
result in large numbers if and when the perpetrator is prosecuted.
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