Security of Computer Systems (CSCT4104)
Computer Science - COS
Semester: First Semester
Level: 400
Year: 2018
1
Question 1 (50 marks)
(a) Anti-virus software is commonly used to detect and prevent potential harmful attacks on a
computer. With respect to the detection element of an anti-virus program, how does the antivirus
program work and how do virus writers try to exploit the way these programs typically work in order
to avoid detection?
(b) Viruses are often viewed as a combination of three elements: propagation, payload and activation.
Two methods to propagate a virus are either as a Trojan or a ‘worm’. Describe each of these methods
of propagation and assess which is able to spread fastest and why.
(c) A colleague has recommended switching your company’s account verification process to a pure
biometric approach. You are not convinced this is an ideal method.
(i) What is biometric authentication and which authentication factor does it address?
(ii) Discuss the problems of biometric authentication and why it requires a difficult balancing
act.
(iii) Ideally, what form of authentication process should you use for:
• A public discussion forum that enables moderated comments to be added to published
articles.
• A web based on-line banking system.
Justify each of your answers and describe the advantages and disadvantages of your chosen
approaches.
Question 2 (20 marks)
Short Answers.
Please give a short description of each of the following:
(a) Covert channel.
(b) Common criteria.
(c) Software fault isolation.
(d) Virtualization.
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School:_HTTTC___ Department: _Computer Science__ Lecturer(s): Mr. KAMGANG BEYALA
Course Code: CSCT4104 _ Course Title: Security of computer systems
Session: _ January 2019_________ Hall: ______ Duration Allowed: 2 Hours
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