Questions

a) What is a propagation vector, for malware? List and describe four common propagation vectors for malware.

b) Explain how a common Internet worm (such as Code Red, Nimda, or SQL Slammer) propagates so quickly. What can businesses do to prevent such worms from (a) infecting their computers and (b) allowing their infected computers from infecting others.

c) Describe, in your own words, how a buffer overflow occurs and how it is exploited. What steps should developers take to prevent exploitable buffer overflow flaws from being written into their software?

d) Watch the video Overflow Exploitation, Step By Step from David Hoelzer. Summarize and critique Hoelzers presentation (good, bad, and ugly). Pay particular attention to the processes of analysis, fuzzing, and developing the exploit. What did you find interesting, confusing, or surprising?