Matching a threat to its process and aim

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. A program copies itself across a network without any user action, using up bandwidth and slowing the network. Which threat is it?

A Worm

B Virus

2. A free game is installed by a student. In the background it gives the attacker remote access to the computer. Which threat is it?

A Worm

B Trojan horse

3. Which statement gives the process AND the aim of phishing?

A Fake emails trick users into entering login details, so the attacker can steal their accounts

B A huge number of requests floods a server, so that real users cannot reach the website

4. A student types the correct web address but is sent to a fake bank site. Which threat is this?

A Phishing

B Pharming

5. An attacker tries thousands of possible passwords one after another until one works. Which threat is it?

A Brute-force attack

B Denial of service attack

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Worm: copies itself across a network		AThat is the aim of a DoS attack. A brute-force attack tries many passwords with the aim of gaining access to an account.
2Pharming: DNS sends you to a fake site		BProcess: redirects users to a fake website even if they type the right address. Aim: steal personal data.
3Thousands of requests flood a server so real users cannot get in		CThis describes a worm. A Trojan horse pretends to be useful software and relies on the user installing it. It does not copy itself.
4Trying every common word in a list to guess a password		DProcess: spreads by itself with no user action. Aim: use up bandwidth and slow or crash the network.
5Trojan horse: copies itself across a network		EDictionary attack: process = try listed words, aim = gain access
6Brute-force attack: aim = make a website unavailable		FDoS: process = flood requests, aim = make site unavailable

Definitions

process and aim

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

THREAT: ________ PROCESS: fake email tricks the user AIM: steal login details

THREAT: ________ PROCESS: code redirects users to a fake site AIM: steal data typed on the fake site

THREAT: _____ PROCESS: attaches to a file; user runs it AIM: corrupt or delete data

THREAT: DoS PROCESS: floods a server with requests AIM: make the website ___________ to users

THREAT: brute-force PROCESS: tries many _________ in turn AIM: gain unauthorised access

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A threat = "phishing"

B how = "fake email tricks user"

C aim = "crash a website"

Question 2

A threat = "worm"

B how = "needs a host file"

C aim = "slow the network"

Question 3

A threat = "worm"

B how = "looks like a safe app"

C aim = "open a backdoor"

Question 4

A threat = "pharming"

B how = "sends a fake email"

C aim = "steal login details"

Question 5

A threat = "DoS attack"

B how = "floods a server"

C aim = "make site unavailable"

D source = "many devices"

Answer Key

Matching a threat to its process and aim

Section A: Quick Questions

A — Worm

B — Trojan horse

A — Fake emails trick users into entering login details, so the attacker can steal their accounts

B — Pharming

A — Brute-force attack

Section B: Match the Pairs

Worm: copies itself across a network → Process: spreads by itself with no user action. Aim: use up bandwidth and slow or crash the network.

Pharming: DNS sends you to a fake site → Process: redirects users to a fake website even if they type the right address. Aim: steal personal data.

Thousands of requests flood a server so real users cannot get in → DoS: process = flood requests, aim = make site unavailable

Trying every common word in a list to guess a password → Dictionary attack: process = try listed words, aim = gain access

Trojan horse: copies itself across a network → This describes a worm. A Trojan horse pretends to be useful software and relies on the user installing it. It does not copy itself.

Brute-force attack: aim = make a website unavailable → That is the aim of a DoS attack. A brute-force attack tries many passwords with the aim of gaining access to an account.

Section C: Definitions

process and aim — Match a threat by finding its process (how it works) and its aim (why the attacker does it), e.g. phishing: fake emails trick users to steal login details.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

THREAT: phishing
PROCESS: fake email tricks the user
AIM: steal login details

THREAT: pharming
PROCESS: code redirects users to a fake site
AIM: steal data typed on the fake site

THREAT: virus
PROCESS: attaches to a file; user runs it
AIM: corrupt or delete data

THREAT: DoS
PROCESS: floods a server with requests
AIM: make the website unavailable to users

THREAT: brute-force
PROCESS: tries many passwords in turn
AIM: gain unauthorised access

Section E: Spot the Error

C — The aim of phishing is to steal login details. Crashing a website is the aim of a denial of service attack. The line should be aim = "steal login details".

B — A worm spreads by itself across a network and does not need a host file. Needing a host file describes a virus. The line should say it spreads by itself.

A — Software that looks like a safe app but hides harmful code is a Trojan horse, not a worm. A worm spreads by itself. The first line should be threat = "trojan horse".

B — Pharming works by redirecting the user to a fake website, often by changing DNS information. Sending a fake email is the process of phishing. The line should be how = "redirects to fake site".

D — A DoS attack comes from one device. Many devices flooding a server is a DDoS attack. The line should be source = "one device".