How did the koobface virus affect linux systems compared to microsoft

Answer 1

Koobface Malware is often called a worm or virus. The primary means of infection with this malware is through social engineering and phishing. Social media is its primary route of attack. This malware, discovered in 2008, originally started by infecting social networking sites on all the major platforms (Microsoft, Linux, and Mac). It was reported to have been involved in over 18 thousand cybercrimes with an alarming $66 million in losses (Kaspersky, 2021).

Specifically to this question as to the differences in effect on linux verse microsoft systems, you must first understand the primary reason that viruses may or may not affect these systems differently. The primary reason linux and mac systems are less vulnerable to viral attacks is the fact that less people use these systems and thus programmers that generate viri tend to focus their attacks toward the majority of users which happen to be Microsoft users. In addition, most malware and viruses come as .exe files (executable files).Linux systems handle the .exe files differently. Linux systems will not automatically run an .exe file. However this is not true for a windows system. Lastly, Linux systems separate their data and code and this makes them less likely to be infected by document based attacks (Latest Hacking News, 2018).

However, this specific malware leverages the weakest link in any systems security, the user. It utilizes phishing to target its subjects, and then social engineering to manipulate the targeted user into activating the attack. As stated, its primary venue is thato of social media and is beginning to make a reappearance on sites such as Facebook, and Twitter. Since this malware is able to infect both Microsoft and Linux based systems and is spread through the manipulation of the user via social media platforms there is no evidence that either type of system is more or less likely to be effected when adjusted for per capita use. In other words, there will definitely be more Microsoft systems infected, but that is simply because there are more Microsoft systems in use, not because Linux is more secure against this specific threat.

References:

Kaspersky. (2021, January 13). What is THE Koobface Virus? Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/what-is-the-koobface-virus

Latest Hacking News. (2018, August 20). Why Linux is more secure than Windows - but still not as Malware-free as you might think. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://latesthackingnews.com/2018/08/19/why-linux-is-more-secure-that-windows-but-still-not-as-malware-free-as-you-might-think/#:~:text=Linux%20does%20not%20easily%20deliver,installed%20and%20run%20as%20root.