Cyber security, common threats and penetration testing

Overview

What cyber security protects, pharming, weak passwords, misconfigured access rights, removable media and unpatched software, and penetration tests that simulate insiders and external attackers.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is cyber security?

   Model answer

   Cyber security is the processes, practices and technologies that protect networks, computers, programs and data. Cyber security guards against attack, damage and unauthorised access.

2. 2

   What are the main purposes of cyber security?

   Model answer

   Cyber security keeps data confidential and stops it being changed or destroyed. Cyber security also keeps systems available to the people entitled to use them.

3. 3

   What is pharming?

   Model answer

   Pharming is a cyber attack that redirects a website's traffic to a fake website. Users think they are on the real site and may enter their login details.

4. 4

   How does pharming differ from phishing?

   Model answer

   Pharming can redirect users to a fake site without them clicking anything suspicious. Phishing is tricking users into giving information, usually through a fake email or text.

5. 5

   Why are weak and default passwords a security threat?

   Model answer

   Weak passwords can be guessed or cracked quickly by software. Default passwords are often published online, so attackers can simply look them up.

6. 6

   What are misconfigured access rights?

   Model answer

   Misconfigured access rights give users more access than they need, or leave data open to anyone. An ordinary user might be able to read or delete sensitive files.

Other ways to work this

The same content, four other ways.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.