The text from the bank
Amira gets a text. It says her bank account is locked. It has a link and says "act now".
She almost taps it. Then she stops and checks. The bank never sent it. A stranger wrote it to scare her. Outside threats often work by tricking people, not by breaking in.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can describe the main types of harmful software and online tricks, and say how each one is reduced.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| External threat | a threat from outside the organisation |
| Malware | software made to cause harm |
| Social engineering | tricking people into giving away secrets |
| Ransomware | malware that locks your files and asks for money |
| Phishing | a fake message that tricks you into giving details |
| Pharming | sending you to a fake website even if you typed the right address |
| Network | devices joined so they can share data |
| Unauthorised access | getting into a system without permission |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter: what you already know
Have a go
Starter: what you already know
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Malware is software made to harm
Malware is software made to cause harm. It can steal data, spy on you, lock your files or break a computer. It arrives in email attachments, bad downloads, infected USB sticks and fake websites.
There are many types. Each has its own way of working. Here are the ones to know.
Types of malware
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Virus | Hides in a file and spreads when the file is opened |
| Worm | Spreads by itself across a network, with no one opening anything |
| Trojan | Looks like useful software but carries a harmful part |
| Ransomware | Locks your files and asks for money to open them |
| Spyware | Secretly watches what you do and sends it away |
| Adware | Shows unwanted adverts and may track you |
| Rootkit | Hides itself deep in the system so it is hard to find |
| Backdoor | A hidden way into a system that skips the normal login |
| Botnet | Many infected devices controlled together by an attacker |
| Zero-day attack | Uses a flaw the maker has not fixed yet, often one it does not know about |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check
Have a go
Check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.