Analysis of Common Types of Network Attacks, and Factors Enabling their Successful Implementation

Abstract

Introduction. A survey of common types of network attacks, i.e. cyberattacks carried out through a computer network, is presented. The purpose of the work is to expose factors enabling attacks to be fulfilled successfully.

Methods. To expose the factors, common types of network attacks were analysed on the basis of sources open to general use.

Results. As a summary, it was found out that attackers have in their arsenal: brute force, malicious software, knowledge on various vulnerabilities and flaws on a victim’s side, social engineering tools, and detailed knowledge on how both network equipment and victim’s software function. It is significantly that due to their knowledge on how network equipment and applications connected to a network function attackers can realize their malicious intentions while behaving themselves as legitimate users regarding the network protocols and regarding the attacked services and without even looking for flaws in the protective resources or software vulnerabilities on the victim’s side. It turned out, that such factor as flaws in network software designing relates every type of attack considered.

Conclusions. Taking into account the results of the analysis, the directions of intensifying the resilience to network attacks are outlined: improving the working out of projects of network software and applications that operates in a network in order to prevent arising vulnerabilities which attackers can exploit; improving the existing computer security systems and developing novel ones; network users’ conversance with information security requirements and the threats of social engineering means.