Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What is often seen in pop-ups claiming that a user's machine is infected?

1. Spyware

2. Scareware

3. Ransomware

4. Adware

The correct answer is: Scareware

The answer is scareware because it is specifically designed to frighten users into believing that their system is infected with malware or is facing some sort of security threat. These pop-ups typically use urgent language to create a sense of panic, often advising users to take immediate action, such as purchasing a software product that claims to remove the supposed threat. Scareware aims to exploit the user's fear and anxiety, prompting them to act impulsively, which can lead to financial loss or the installation of actual malware under the guise of a legitimate cleanup tool. This tactic is common in malicious marketing and is particularly effective because users often prioritize their perceived security issues. In contrast, while spyware, ransomware, and adware are forms of malware, they do not primarily focus on inducing fear through deceptive pop-ups aimed at selling fake solutions. Spyware is used for gathering user data without consent, ransomware locks files and demands payment for their release, and adware displays unwanted ads but does not inherently create a panic situation like scareware does.