ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 Definitions Worksheet: Cyber Security Threats and Vulnerabilities (Modules 810–827)
Name:
Date:
Class:
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Key terms
Write what each term means, in your own words.
1
zero-day
2
outdated software
3
default credentials
4
Improper credential management
5
CVE
6
oversharing
7
software supply chain
8
third-party dependency
9
compromised software update
10
typosquatting
Answer Key
ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 · Modules 810–827 · Student wording will vary for definitions
1zero-day — A zero-day is a software flaw that attackers know about before the maker has released a fix, so there is no patch yet. Defenders use workarounds and monitoring until one arrives.
2outdated software — Software that is missing the latest security patches, so its known flaws stay open for attackers to exploit.
3default credentials — The factory username and password a device or app ships with. If they are never changed, anyone who knows or guesses them can log in and take control.
4Improper credential management — Storing, sharing or reusing passwords, keys or tokens insecurely (in plain text, on shared accounts, or on many sites) so attackers can steal them and gain unauthorised access.
5CVE — A public vulnerability report with a unique ID that names the affected software and versions, explains how the flaw is exploited, gives a severity score and links to a fix.
6oversharing — Posting personal details online, like pet or school names, which attackers use to guess passwords and write convincing targeted messages.
7software supply chain — Everything used to make and deliver software: code libraries, tools, build systems, suppliers and updates. Most of an app is other people's code, so every link must be trusted.
8third-party dependency — A library written by someone else that your program imports and relies on. A flaw in it affects every app that uses it, and it may pull in its own dependencies too.
9compromised software update — A software update from a trusted supplier that criminals have secretly infected with malicious code, so users install it believing it is safe.
10typosquatting — Publishing a malicious package or site with a name almost the same as a trusted one, like reqeusts for requests, hoping people use it by mistake.