Security Attacks

Attacks on the security of a computer system or network are best characterized by viewing the function of the computer system as providing information .

In general,there is a flow of information from sender or a source to receiver or a destination .
The following are the general categories of Security attack
-> Interruption
-> Interception
-> Modification
-> Fabrication

-> Interruption : An asset of a computer system is either destroyed or becomes unusable or unavailable. It is nothing but an attack on availability.

Examples : Destruction of a piece of hardware such as hard disk,cutting of a communication line etc.....

-> Interception : An unauthorized party includes either a person or program or a computer gains access to an asset.This is an attack on confidentiality.

Examples : wiretapping to capture data in a network etc.....

-> Modification : This is an attack on integrity.Here in this modification ,an unauthorized user not only gains access to an asset but also tampers with an asset.

Examples : changing values in a data file,altering a program so that it performs differently and modifying the content of messages being transmitted in a network.

-> Fabrication : This refers to an attack on authenticity. Here in this category, an unauthorized party counterfeit objects into the system .

Examples : insertion of spurious messages in a network or the addition of records to a file.