Types of Security Attacks on Network

Security attacks break the security barrier of the network and access the network resources . There are two types of security attacks carried on a network.

Passive Attack - Defines an attack where an attacker just monitors the network. The attackers aim is not to alter the traffic but to just monitor what information is being transmitted over a network. This compromises the confidentiality of the data being transmitted. At any moment , the attacker can capture the traffic.

Types of Security Attacks on Network 

Active Attack - Defines an attack in which an attacker causes damage to the data being transmitted over a network. The attacker deletes ,  adds or alters information that is being transmitted over the network.

The purpose of security attacks is to violate the protection over the network and to access the network traffic and resources. The other types of attacks that are carried over a network are as follows:

Denial of Service (DOS) - Defines the most offensive type of attack on a network resources. These types of attacks are the easiest attacks that can be carried out. In this type of attack, the user or organization is not allowed to access the information that they are entitled to do so. The user may not be able to access his / her email. He may not be able to access the server. For example , the attacker may block the web server of the organization. The users may not be able to access the Web site of the organization.

Virus Attack - Defines an attack in which a particular computer in general is not targeted. Virus is small program that replicates itself and causes harm to the files in the system. In this type of attacks , the virus is transmitted to the main server.This program infects the file of that server. When the user of the intranet accesses that particular file , the program gets copied into his local computer. Thus , the whole intranet may get affected due to the virus.

Password Cracking - Defines an attack in which the attacker comes to know about the user password and gains unauthorized access to network resources.

Domain Name Server DNS Spoofing - Defines an attack where the DNS information is altered and false information is saved into the server. The attacker may send incorrect DNS information over the network. When the user accesses information on the network , he is directed to some other site.

IP Spoofing - Defines an attack in which the attacker uses false IP address to represent himself . The attacker sends information using a false IP address across the network claiming that this IP address is a part of the network.Thus , other clients of the network start transmitting data to this IP address. Thus the attacker gains access to the network resources.