Malicious Software, Unknown Threats & Potential Solutions Research Paper

Malicious Software, Unknown Threats & Potential Solutions - Research Paper Example Malicious intentions result into destruction of system hardware, information, and software whereby, disclosure of confidential information results, through unauthorized users having access to the system and information. Unauthorized usage also results in modification and interruption of the information system. Interception occurs when information that resides in a computer system is copied by unauthorized user (Abdullah, 2010, p.3). Other threats include malware, which is constituted by viruses, computer worms and Trojan horses that are generally common in the computer networks and websites. The possibility of making money through malware distribution and solution has propagated the online distribution, which is a major threat. This is the case since the popularity of viruses, computer worms and Trojan horses consequently increases popularity of similar antivirus that is traded for commercial purposes (Ryuya, 2011, p.514). Defects with respect to homogeneous binary files are an indic ation of presence of unknown threats and malicious software. Indications of threats may include infections such as viruses, Trojan horse programs and even original file format alterations (Weber, et al., 2002, p. 2). Motivation Malicious software and unknown threats have time and again presented new threats that call for new ways of detection and prevention within the information technology environment. Unknown threats and malware software call for modern malware detection solutions such as proactive malware detection system that enables prevention of future attacks and those that were previously unknown. Modern detection system also reduces the rate of false alarms, since successful detection of attacks is made (Volynkin, State University of New York at Binghamton: Electrical Engineering. 2007, p.47). Dynamics of malicious software are characterized by strains such as code red-2, which is a fast spreading worm that can be solved using a complex mathematical model that is based on a pproach of compartmentalization. The solution is made possible through predicting the state of the system for the purpose of converting unaffected targeted nodes into noninfectious and infectious nodes (Hemraj and Dinesh, 2007, p. 491). Hackers have gone ahead to exploit zero day threats, since these threats have no characteristic signature that can be detected. The exploitation takes advantage of polymorphing code of the unknown threat that varies with every page loaded. However, technological firms have competitively undertaken to advance models for detecting malicious and unknown threats for their customers. Through intensive marketing and competition, new knowledge regarding malicious software attacks has been created by software firms. Although software firms seek to gain profitability in software applications, solutions for complex and dynamic malicious software attacks are gaining a positive insight (Michael and Mikhael, 2010, p.597). Invisible malicious codes on the web exec ute when the browser loads web pages containing the software. Malicious codes use cross-site scripting to retrieve codes that are more dangerous from third party sites, which plants the malware, steals data and takes control of the system through leveraging operating system and web browser vulnerability.