Objective: Examine some current computer virus threats.

Description: As a security professional, you must keep abreast of the many new viruses and worms that might attack networks and computers. If one computer is compromised, all computers in your network could be compromised. Many firewalls dont detect malware attached to an executable program or a macro virus (covered later in this section), so security professionals need to train users on the dangers of installing software, including games and screen savers, on a computer. Remember, a firewall doesnt examine packets internal to the network, so malware can spread internally in an organization regardless of how effective the firewall is. A good place to learn about new threats is the Internet.

1. Start your Web browser and go to www.us-cert.gov.
2. On the home page, type CryptoLocker in the search box on the top right, and then click the magnifying glass. What OSs are affected by this worm?
3. Give a brief description of the CryptoLocker and ways to remove or prevent infection from it.
4. Next, go to www.symantec.com/security_response/.
5. Click the Threats tab.
6. List the five most recent viruses or worms displayed on this page.
7. Select one of the viruses or worms you listed in Step 6, and describe its technical details briefly (e.g., ports used, installation location, files created, and goals of the malware). Are any solutions for removing the virus or worm available? If so, what are they?