Unit 1 The Online

World

Learning Aim C

Name:
Form:

Lesson 1 Possible Threats to Data

(Student Book C Pg 1 - 4)

Starter What is malware?

Examples of malware include: computer worms (essentially a
Computer virus which does not need to attach itself to a fi le or message); Trojan
Horses, which appear as some benign program allowing a hacker full access to a
system; spyware; adware; and various other nastiest. Malware is never beneficial.

Malicious Threats

Opportunist

Virus

Threats to data
Opportunist

Trojan
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Phishing

Explain what each of the following threats are:

a. Opportunist
People who find an unattended computer which has been
Left logged in to a system may view, steal or damage information, programs or even
Hardware.
b. Viruses
These are small programs which can replicate themselves and
Spread from computer to computer. They are never beneficial; usually they will make
Some changes to the system they infect and, even if they do no real damage, they
are undesirable. They arrive by attaching themselves to fi les or email messages.
c. Phishing
This is a type of threat which attempts to gain access to passwords,
financial details and other such privileged information. Often this is done by email
Messages pretending to come from trusted websites, instant messaging or social
Networks. Normally they try to divert you to a website which looks original and which
Asks for information about you.
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What is considered accidental damage?
This may be caused by a natural disaster (e.g. flooding),
Mischief or accidental mishap, and can result in losing all of a computers data.
Computer security is an important aspect of online communication however all computer systems are
under continuous threat of attack and the threats are ever changing. It is impossible to provide 100%
protection to a computer system.

What are the possible consequences of an attack?

a.

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b.

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c.

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d.

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It is important to protect computer systems and their data. Match the following preventative
actions to the correct description.

Physical Barrier
Passwords

Access Levels

Anti-virus Software

Firewall

Encryption

This is set up to intercept computer viruses before they can

become resident on the computer. The software can isolate
the virus, remove it and sometimes repair any damage.
These can be set up to allow individuals to have access to
only specific levels of an application and to prevent
unauthorized users from accessing particular data.
This is used to codify data so that it cannot be read by
anyone who does not have the key to the code. An
algorithm, sometimes known as a cipher, is applied to the
data at the transmission end and the reverse is applied at
the reception end.
This is a piece of software that monitors all data arriving at
your computer from the internet and all data leaving your
computer. It stops anything that it thinks is harmful or
unwanted (such as viruses, spam, Trojan horses and
hackers).
These include turning off computers and locking offices
when the systems are unattended to prevent damage by
people, the environment (e.g. fire, flooding, electrical
interference) or theft.
Sequences of characters, known onlyto the computer user, which
allow access to a computer, network or application

Backup and recovery. Making a backup of data is the only way of recovering from a total data
disaster. Many individuals and organizations back up data to Flash solid state storage devices

or magnetic tape at night. The tapes are stored safely in a separate place, so that they are not
destroyed by any disaster, which could destroy the master system (fire, earthquake, etc.).
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What are the different types of backups available?

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The dangers of identity theft and of revealing too much personal information on
social networks and via instant messaging are often reported in the news.
These threats can affect both your security and your reputation. Think about who has access
to the information you put online. Before you put photos on your social networking profile,
think about who might see them and whether you would mind. You might not want your
employer or teacher to see something that might be embarrassing or harmful to your
reputation.
Use security settings to protect your privacy and identity. Remember that not everyone is who
they claim to be. Criminals access social networking sites trying to find out information about
people. This may put you at risk of identity theft and password theft if you have revealed too
much information about yourself. Be careful not to reveal information that you might use in a
password, such as your pets name.
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What is identity theft?

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How can you help prevent identify theft?

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8.. What is the Data Protection Act?

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