Key Concepts
- 1What is the difference between a virus and a worm?
- 2What is phishing and how can you protect yourself from it?
- 3What are the three pillars of strong online security?
Important Formulas & Facts
A virus attaches itself to a legitimate program or file and requires user action (running the infected file) to activate and spread. A worm is a standalone program that replicates itself and spreads automatically across networks without any user action or host program.
Phishing is a social engineering attack where attackers send fake emails or create fake websites to steal sensitive information. Protection: verify sender addresses, never click suspicious links, go directly to official websites, use 2FA, and report phishing emails.
(1) Strong passwords — long, complex, unique for each account. (2) Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) — adds a second verification step. (3) Software updates and antivirus — keep OS, browsers, and antivirus updated to patch vulnerabilities.
Must-Know Questions
Q1Which of the following best defines cybercrime?
Cybercrime refers to any criminal activity that involves a computer, networked device, or a network as the tool, target, or place of the crime.
Q2What is the difference between hacking and cracking?
Hacking refers to gaining unauthorized access to computer systems, and while originally neutral, it now often implies malicious intent. Ethical hacking (white-hat hacking) is done with permission to find vulnerabilities. Cracking refers specifically to malicious hacking with intent to steal, damage, or disrupt systems — it always has criminal intent.
Q3Phishing is a type of cyber attack where the attacker:
Phishing is a social engineering attack where cybercriminals send fraudulent emails or create fake websites that appear legitimate to trick users into revealing sensitive information.
Q4Which type of malware spreads automatically across networks without any user action?
A computer worm is a type of malware that replicates itself and spreads automatically across networks without requiring any user action or attaching itself to a host program.
Q5A Trojan Horse in computing is:
A Trojan Horse is malware disguised as legitimate, useful software. When the user installs it, it performs malicious actions in the background.
Practice Cyber Safety
Reinforce what you just revised with practice questions