computer science: cyber security

what is CAPTCHA and how does it help?

- CAPTCHA is designed to prevent programs from automatically doing certain things like creating user accounts on a website - they usually consist of a simple task or test to tell humans and computers apart - these tests rely on computers not being able to read images as well as a humans can

what is MAC address filtering and how does it work?

- MAC address filtering is a way of making sure the only people on a network are trusted users - it checks the unique identification of each device that tried to connect to the network and only lets allowed devices join the network

what is a virus and how does it work?

- a virus is a program that is installed on a computer without your knowledge or permission with the purpose of doing harm - it can replicate itself automatically on a computer and between computers - they can be spread through files, programs or games you download

how can automatic software updates help to protect data?

- automatic software updates are used to patch any identified security holes in a piece of software - software that is unpatched or outdated could be more easily exploited

what are biometrics and how do they help?

- biometric measures use scanners to identify people by a unique part of their body, e.g fingerprint - many smartphones now have touch id to prevent unauthorised access - they are secure and convenient for users but are often expensive

what is the difference between black box penetration testing and white box penetration testing?

- black box: testers are given very little or no information about the network prior to the test - white box: the tester is given basic information about the network in advance of the testing

how does blagging work?

- blagging is the act of knowingly or recklessly obtaining and disclosing personal data without the consent of the controller - e.g, someone could persuade an employee to give them private information, pretending it is needed for something else

how can you prevent phishing?

- doubling checking the email address that has been used to see if it is correct - reading the language being used in the email to determine whether it is genuine

what is the general thing that can be done to protect against social engineering?

- downloading softwares that can check if websites or links are genuine - making sure your login details are extremely private and secure, both in real life and online

why are misconfigured access rights a cyber security threat?

- each user is assigned access rights in any organisation according to their role, and if these rights aren't managed correctly, they can allow people into areas which they should not have access to - if a user has unintentional access to confidential pages, then a hacker who gains access to their computer or account can cause damage

how can encryption help to protect data?

- encryption is when data is translated into a code which only someone with the correct key can access - encryption is essential for sending data over a network securely

how can you prevent pharming?

- ensure anti-malware software is installed on your system - ensure that you have set your browser to only visit websites with valid digital certificates - there are also security softwares that make sure the IP address matches the correct URL.

what are firewalls and how do they work?

- firewalls are a type of anti-malware software - they examine all data entering and leaving a network and block any potential threats - companies often use firewalls to prevent unauthorised access to their network

why are weak and non-default passwords a cyber security threat?

- not using a default password can lead to your password being too easy to guess, so hackers can access your private information - if your hacker guesses a password to one account, they can easily access your other accounts too if they have the same password

how does pharming work?

- pharming is a technique intended to redirect a website's traffic to another, fake site - an attacker will put code on your hard drive or on the actual server itself - when you type in a genuine website address, pharming will redirect you to a fake website and you will be asked to give personal details

how does phishing work?

- phishing emails are designed to steal money, login details or steal an identity - these emails invite the user to click on links to download a free game and once a hacker has your email address they can cause damage

why are removable media a cyber security threat?

- removable media such as removable hard drives can cause data theft and virus infection - if a computer does not have proper virus protection then the memory stick could become infected and infect a whole network - data in that network then becomes vulnerable and can be stolen

what is spyware and how does it work?

- spyware is software that gathers information about a person or organisation without their knowledge - it is a type of malware - it can change computer settings and be used to collect personal information - it is used to track and store user's movements on the internet

what is the reason for cyber security?

- to prevent data loss of important information - to prevent data from being manipulated

what is a trojan and how does it work?

- trojans were malware disguised as legitimate software - they do not replicate themselves, users install them not realising they have a hidden purpose - they can crash the computer, spread malware across the network, corrupt data or access sensitive info

what does CAPTCHA stand for?

Completely Automated Public Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart

what is cyber security?

a set of measures that are taken to protect a computer from harm to its data or software.

what is a cyber attack?

an attempt to gain unauthorised access to or control of a computer and the network.

how can anti-malware software help to protect data?

anti-malware software is designed to find and stop malware from damaging an organisations network and the devices on it.

what is cipher text?

any encrypted text.

how can you prevent shouldering?

make sure you are not very near someone when entering important login details.

what is malware?

malware is the term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software.

how can blagging be prevented?

organisations make sure they provide security training to their employees so that they don't fall for any tricks.

what is penetration testing?

penetration testing is used to find any security weaknesses in a system by attempting to gain access to resources. the strategy is to: - gather information about the target of possible attacks - identify possible entry points - attempt to break in - report back the findings

how does shouldering work?

shouldering is using direct observation techniques to gain information such as passwords or security data.

what is social engineering?

social engineering is the art of manipulating people so they divulge personal information such as passwords.

what is the difference between some viruses and worms?

some viruses need the user's help to replicate but worms self-replicate so they can spread very quickly.