Question

Data Security Principles

Q1.Describe whether passive attacks are harmful than active attacks or active attacks are harmful than passive attacks. You can write your own analysis in your own words. You may take examples and/or case studies.            

Instructions:

References are very important

1. Describe more details as much as possible.
2. Provide the relevant and exact answer.
3. Describe the answer using diagrams wherever it necessary.
4. You may use web, various text books, and journals for collecting the information.

Answer 1

Answer 1)

A Passive attack is defined as the attack in which the attacker only observe the content of the message or can copy the message. Whereas in the case of Active attack the attacker's main purpose is to modify the content of the message.

Active Attacks are more dangerous as compared to Passive attacks because in case of active attack the content of the message changes and thus the system is damaged. Whereas in case of passive attacks message do not change and thus the system has no impact.

Moreover, System Resources can be changed in active attacks whereas system resources cannot be changes in passive attack. Victim gets informed in case of active attack but in passive attack victim does not get informed.