Question

An intentional or unintentional act that can damage or otherwise compromise information and the systems that support it is known as a(n) __________.

Answer 1

Answer:

Attack.

Explanation:

Attacks can be active or passive, inten- tional or unintentional, and direct or indirect.

For example, a person who harmlessly reads sensitive information not intended for his or her use is committing a passive attack.

A hacker attempting to break into an information system is an intentional attack.

An electricity outlet spark that causes a building fire is an unintentional attack.

A direct attack is perpetrated by a hacker trying to break into a system.

An indirect attack is a hacker compromising a system and using it to attack other systems.

Direct attacks originate from the threat itself. Indirect attacks originate from a compromised system or resource that is malfunctioning or working under the control of a threat.