GSEC GIAC Security Essentials Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Second Edition, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 12

Malware

In this chapter, you will learn:

•   The different types of malware

•   About malware analysis

•   Anti-virus techniques

Malicious software, commonly called malware, has been around for decades now. Given the more harmful types of malware we see today, one might look back with a certain nostalgic fondness at the kinds of malware that were prevalent even a dozen years ago. But whether the behavior of this early malware was truly malicious is debatable. A piece of software whose only purpose is to spread from system to system may not be a welcome item, but it’s hard to say if it’s truly noxious in nature. Many were more of a nuisance than malevolent. However, regardless of the actual functionality of the software in question, ...