Question

James, a malware programmer, intruded into a manufacturing plant that produces computer peripheral devices. James tampered with the software inside devices ready to be delivered to clients. The tampered program creates a backdoor that allows unauthorized access to the systems. Identify the type of attack performed by James in the above scenario to gain unauthorized access to the delivered systems.

A) Phishing Attack
B) Ransomware Attack
C) Trojan Horse Attack
D) Supply Chain Attack

Answer 1

James performed a Supply Chain Attack by compromising devices in the manufacturing stage, enabling a backdoor for later unauthorized access, which is a serious threat to any organization using these devices.

James, the malware programmer, performed a Supply Chain Attack by intruding into a manufacturing plant and tampering with the software inside devices destined for clients. Instead of directly attacking the end-user systems, he compromised the security of the devices before they were distributed, which allowed him to create a backdoor for unauthorized access at a later stage. This is indicative of supply chain attacks, where the disruption occurs within the production or distribution chain of products or services.

In this scenario, the tampered program acts as a dangerous entry point, giving James the capability to manipulate or steal information, causing widespread damage to any organization using the tampered devices.

The correct answer to the type of attack performed by James to gain unauthorized access is a Supply Chain Attack(D), which not only affects the targeted systems but also erodes trust between suppliers and customers within the ecosystem.