Unit Structure

            
Cybersecurity Attack Vectors
├── 1. Buffer Overflow Attacks
│   ├── Stack Overflows
│   ├── String Overflows
│   ├── Heap Overflows
│   └── Integer Overflows
│
├── 2. Internal Attacks
│   ├── Emails
│   ├── Mobile Phones
│   ├── Instant Messengers
│   ├── FTP Uploads
│   ├── Dumpster Diving
│   └── Shoulder Surfing
│
└── 3. DoS (Denial of Service) Attacks
    ├── Ping of Death
    ├── Teardrop
    ├── SYN Flooding
    ├── Land Attacks
    ├── Smurf Attacks
    ├── UDP Flooding
    ├── Hybrid DoS Attacks
    ├── Application Specific Attacks
    └── Distributed DoS (DDoS) Attacks
            
        

• When we talk about cybersecurity, one of the most important things to understand is how systems are attacked — these methods are known as attack vectors. In simple terms, an attack vector is the path or technique used by a hacker to break into a system or cause harm. In this unit, we’ll explore different categories of attack vectors that every IT or security student should know.
• We’ll start with Buffer Overflow Attacks, which are more technical and involve manipulating memory to crash a system or take control of it — things like stack overflows, string overflows, and even heap or integer overflows fall under this.
• Then we’ll move into Internal Attacks, which are all about threats that come from within the organization or through common user channels — like suspicious emails, mobile apps, instant messengers, and even physical methods like dumpster diving or shoulder surfing.
• Finally, we’ll cover Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks, which are designed to overwhelm or crash systems so that real users can't access them. This includes notorious attacks like Ping of Death, SYN flooding, and even modern Distributed DoS (DDoS) methods that use multiple devices to attack at once.