← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

Why attackers target accounts and data

The reason an attacker targets accounts and data: they can be used or sold for money, identity theft or disruption, such as stealing cash, taking over social accounts or selling data.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Networks and Cyber Threats — Module 4, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Cyber Security Threats and Vulnerabilities — Module 2

Understanding Why attackers target accounts and data in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: Identity theft means using someone else's personal data to pose as them, so personal data is a target. A taken-over social account can be used to send scam messages to friends or to disrupt, so accounts are valuable targets. Accounts that hold money, credit cards or valuable items can be turned into cash, so attackers target them. Stolen data can be bought and sold online. Buyers use it for scams, fraud and more attacks. Disruption means stopping people from using their accounts, files or services, which causes harm or pressure to pay. Stolen data such as emails, passwords and personal details has value, so attackers sell it in bulk.

Common mistakes: The label says Aim, so the line should print the motive (the reason for the attack), not the attacker. It should be PRINT "Aim: " + motive. Text values must be inside quotes. Without them, identity details looks like two unknown variables. It should be stolen ← "identity details".

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 635–666) and word search (Modules 635–695).

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Learning
Duo
Why might an attacker want to break into someone's online bank or gaming account?
Attackers only do it to be nice and test the accountThe account can be used to steal money or items of value
Matches
if data_is_boring: attacker_ignores = True
↓
Wrong idea: attackers ignore ordinary accounts and data because they think they have no value.
Applying
Meanings
Term
attacker motive
Meaning
The reason an attacker targets accounts and data: they can be used or sold for money, identity theft or disruption, such as stealing cash, taking over social accounts or selling data.
Practice
motive <- "profit"
Testing
Gaps
steal()
Check Answer
Spots
3motive ← "steal money"
4PRINT "Aim: " + attacker

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Quick Questions

1. Why might an attacker want to break into someone's online bank or gaming account?
A. The account can be used to steal money or items of value ✓
B. Attackers only do it to be nice and test the account
Accounts that hold money, credit cards or valuable items can be turned into cash, so attackers target them.
2. Which is an example of identity theft?
A. Using someone's name and birthday to open an account as them ✓
B. Choosing a username that is similar to a friend's
Identity theft means using another person's personal details pretending to be them, often to get money or services.
3. A hacker takes over a student's social media account. What might they do next?
A. Nothing, because social accounts are never useful to attackers
B. Message the student's friends to trick them into sending money or clicking links ✓
A taken-over social account is trusted by friends, so attackers use it to scam them.
4. Why do attackers sell stolen data, such as email addresses and passwords?
A. Stolen data has no value to anyone
B. Other criminals will pay for it and use it to make money ✓
Stolen data can be bought and sold online. Buyers use it for scams, fraud and more attacks.
5. Which statement about attacker motive is true?
A. Attackers often target accounts and data because they can be used or sold for money ✓
B. Attackers only target big companies, never everyday people
Everyday people's accounts and data have value too, so attackers target them as well.

Match the Pairs

motive = "money" → The attacker wants cash, so they target bank or shopping accounts and payment details.
motive = "sell data" → The attacker steals data to sell it to other criminals, who then misuse it.
Attackers steal personal details like a name and birthdate so they can pretend to be the victim. → motive = "identity theft"
An attacker takes over a student's social media account to trick their friends or cause trouble. → motive = "account takeover"
if data_is_boring: attacker_ignores = True → Wrong idea: attackers ignore ordinary accounts and data because they think they have no value.
motive = "only famous people" → Wrong idea: attackers only go after rich or famous people, so students are safe.

Key Term

attacker motive
The reason an attacker targets accounts and data: they can be used or sold for money, identity theft or disruption, such as stealing cash, taking over social accounts or selling data.

Fill in the Blanks

1. IF target = bankLogin THEN steal(money) END IF
Hint: Type what an attacker can take from a bank account and spend.
2. IF dataStolen THEN sell(data) END IF
Hint: Type the function name for turning stolen data into cash by offering it to buyers.
3. stolen ← name + birthdate + address impersonate(victim)
Hint: Type the function name for pretending to be the victim by using their personal details.
4. IF loginStolen THEN post(friends, scamLink) END IF
Hint: Type the function name for sending a message to friends from a hijacked social account.
5. IF motive = disruption THEN lock(data) END IF
Hint: Type the function name for blocking people from using their data, which causes disruption.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A attacker ← "scammer"
B target ← "bank login"
C motive ← "steal money"
D PRINT "Aim: " + attacker
Line D — The label says Aim, so the line should print the motive (the reason for the attack), not the attacker. It should be PRINT "Aim: " + motive.
Question 2
A stolen ← identity details
B use ← "open fake accounts"
C motive ← "identity theft"
D PRINT motive
Line A — Text values must be inside quotes. Without them, identity details looks like two unknown variables. It should be stolen ← "identity details".
Question 3
A account ← "social media"
B access ← "stolen
C IF access = "stolen" THEN
D PRINT "Account taken over"
E ENDIF
Line B — The text value is missing its closing quote. It should be access ← "stolen".
Question 4
A records ← 1000
B price ← 0.5
C PRINT "Selling stolen data"
D income ← records + price
E PRINT income
Line D — Money from selling data is the number of records multiplied by the price of each one. It should be income ← records * price, not added.
Question 5
A attack ← "ransomware"
B effect ← "helps the victim"
C demand ← "pay money"
D PRINT effect + demand
Line B — Attackers aim to cause disruption and pressure victims for money. The effect of ransomware is locked files, not helping the victim.

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