Question

For Exercises 1-27, mark the answers true or false as follows: A. True B. False A logic bomb is set to go off when a particular system event occurs, such as a particular date and time.

Short answer

True - A logic bomb is triggered by specific system events.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding a Logic Bomb

A logic bomb is a piece of malicious code that is triggered by a specific condition, such as the arrival of a certain date/time or the accomplishment of a certain task. It typically lies dormant until the condition is met.

Identifying Contextual Clue

Note that the problem states that a logic bomb goes off when 'a particular system event occurs', which aligns with the typical behavior of logic bombs as they are conditional in nature.

Matching Definition

The description given in the exercise corresponds with the definition of a logic bomb. The described behavior matches what is known about logic bombs being triggered by events.

Final Decision

Based on the provided description and aligning it with the known definition of a logic bomb, the statement given in the exercise can be concluded as accurate.

Key concepts

Logic Bomb

A logic bomb is a type of malicious code, which is a hidden programming instruction that executes when certain conditions are met. The term "logic bomb" is quite descriptive: it's like a bomb that is set to "explode" or activate based on a specific trigger, which could be a particular date, time, or system state. It lies dormant within a system until these predefined conditions are satisfied.
Logic bombs are dangerous because they are difficult to detect before they are triggered. This hidden aspect is what makes them particularly insidious. Computer systems administrators must therefore be vigilant by monitoring for unexpected changes or anomalies in their systems to prevent potential logic bomb activations. Understanding logic bombs involves recognizing their dormant nature and their conditional activation.

Malicious Code

Malicious code refers to any piece of code that is intended to harm, manipulate, or exploit a system. This can include various threats such as viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and logic bombs. Logic bombs are a subtype, with their primary characteristic being their activation based on specific conditions. This malicious intent distinguishes these codes from regular software glitches or bugs, which are usually unintended errors.
Characteristics of malicious code include:

• Intentional harm: Designed specifically to steal information, damage data, or disrupt operations.
• Hidden execution: Often operates secretly within the system, making detection difficult until the damage is done.
• Variety of forms: Can manifest in different shapes, from a simple script to complex frameworks.

Protection against malicious code requires regular updates to security software, awareness, and understanding of potential vulnerabilities in system configurations.

System Event

A system event refers to any occurrence within a computer system that can trigger a specific response or action. These events can range from user-driven actions, like opening a file or logging in, to automatic processes initiated by the system itself, such as a scheduled update or reaching a particular time point. In the context of a logic bomb, a system event is the key that unlocks the bomb's payload.
Recognizing system events is crucial for both system administrators and everyday users to understand how various applications and processes will react to certain actions. This understanding helps in both optimizing system performance and enhancing security, as knowing what to expect when certain events occur can help identify when a malicious code like a logic bomb might activate.

Conditional Trigger

A conditional trigger in the context of computer security refers to a specific condition or set of conditions that activates a particular piece of code or function. For a logic bomb, the conditional trigger is the vital aspect that dictates when the bomb will "detonate," or execute its malicious action.
These conditions can be extremely varied, tailored by the malicious coder to evade detection and maximize impact. Common conditional triggers include:

• Specific dates or times: For example, a trigger might be set to activate at the end of a financial quarter.
• User actions: Such as a particular software application being used or a file being accessed.
• System states: Like when resources exceed a certain usage level or a particular system configuration is detected.

Understanding conditional triggers is important for identifying potential vulnerabilities and preemptively securing systems against unexpected activations.