A fragment of malicious code cannot execute on its own: it is embedded in an existing program and runs only when that program is run. On the host/independence axis, what is such malware called?
A fragment of malicious code cannot execute on its own: it is embedded in an existing program and runs only when that program is run. On the host/independence axis, what is such malware called?
Answer
Parasitic
Options - A. Parasitic - B. A logic bomb - C. A flooder - D. Blended Why - A. Correct — parasitic malware requires a host program and executes only when the host executes. Viruses, logic bombs and backdoors are all parasitic. - B. A logic bomb is a **trigger** — the part that decides *when* a payload fires. It is a component, not a propagation category, and it sits inside parasitic code rather than naming it. - C. A flooder is a **tool** for generating denial-of-service traffic, and it is an independent program. Wrong taxonomy and wrong side of the axis. - D. Blended describes malware that uses **several propagation mechanisms at once**. It is a statement about combination, not about needing a host. Three distractors from three different taxonomies — a trigger, a tool and a combination. Before answering, ask which axis the question is on.
Stallings & Brown, Computer Security 5e, ch6 §6.1