← VCE Data Analytics U4O2

Ethical issue: identity theft

Using someone's stolen personal information, such as from a data breach, to pose as them and commit fraud. Organisations have an ethical duty to protect people and warn them.

Part of: VCE Data Analytics - U4O2 - Cyber Security: Data Security — Module 140, WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Cyber Security — Module 171

Understanding Ethical issue: identity theft in VCE Data Analytics U4O2

What it does: Criminals combine personal details taken in a data breach to pose as the victim and commit fraud, causing financial harm. Protecting data, for example by encrypting it, is how an organisation meets its duty to protect people from identity theft. Identity theft involves someone else pretending to be the victim. Resetting your own password is normal use. Collecting less data and securing it reduces what can be stolen and used to impersonate people. Ethically, organisations should notify affected individuals promptly so they can change passwords, monitor accounts and guard against fraud.

Common mistakes: The warning should be sent when personal data HAS been stolen. Testing for FALSE means customers are only warned when nothing was taken. It should be IF stolen_data = TRUE THEN. A stolen tax file number gives criminals enough to commit serious identity fraud, so the risk must be 'high', not 'low'. The line should be risk ← 'high'.

Class: _____________________ · Name: _____________________ · Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 135–150) and word search (Modules 115–150).

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Each concept is reinforced from every angle — learned, then applied, then tested.

Learning

Duo

What is identity theft?

Using someone's stolen personal information to pretend to be themDeleting a person's account so they cannot log in

Matches

if breach_found: wait_6_months_then_notify()

↓

Delaying notification leaves victims unaware, so criminals have time to commit identity theft and fraud. The organisation should warn affected people promptly.

Applying

Meanings

Term

identity theft

Meaning

Using someone's stolen personal information, such as from a data breach, to pose as them and commit fraud. Organisations have an ethical duty to protect people and warn them.

Practice

IF breach exposes personal details THEN

Testing

Gaps

is posing as another person

Check Answer

Spots

1IF stolen_data = FALSE THEN

2 warn(customers)

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Quick Questions

1. What is identity theft?

A. Using someone's stolen personal information to pretend to be them ✓

B. Deleting a person's account so they cannot log in

Identity theft means impersonating a real person with their stolen details, usually to commit fraud.

2. Which stolen details from a data breach could be used for identity theft?

A. Full name, date of birth and address ✓

B. The colour theme of the company website

Personal information such as name, date of birth and address lets a criminal pose as the person. Website design is not personal data.

3. After a breach exposes customer details, what is the likely harm to the people affected?

A. Fraud and financial harm, such as loans taken out in their name ✓

B. No harm, because the data was only copied and not changed

Copied data can still be misused. Criminals can open accounts or take out credit in a victim's name, causing financial harm.

4. Which statement describes an organisation's ethical duty?

A. Keep the information safe only if a law forces it to

B. Protect the personal information it holds to reduce the risk of identity theft ✓

The ethical duty goes beyond the legal minimum. Organisations should take reasonable steps to protect the people whose data they hold.

5. A breach exposes customers' details. What is the ethical response?

A. Stay quiet to protect the company's reputation

B. Warn affected people promptly so they can protect themselves ✓

People can only change passwords, monitor accounts or freeze credit if they know. Hiding a breach puts them at greater risk of identity theft.

Match the Pairs

identity theft → Using someone's stolen personal information to pretend to be them and commit fraud

duty to warn → An organisation tells affected people quickly after a breach so they can protect themselves from identity theft

Stolen details from a breach can be used to open a loan in the victim's name → fraud = stolen_name + stolen_DOB + stolen_licence

An organisation has an ethical duty to protect personal data to reduce the risk of identity theft → encrypt(customer_data)

if breach_found: wait_6_months_then_notify() → Delaying notification leaves victims unaware, so criminals have time to commit identity theft and fraud. The organisation should warn affected people promptly.

identity_theft = losing your own phone → Identity theft is not losing a device. It is the use of someone's stolen personal information to pretend to be them and commit fraud.

Key Term

identity theft

Using someone's stolen personal information, such as from a data breach, to pose as them and commit fraud. Organisations have an ethical duty to protect people and warn them.

Fill in the Blanks

1. identity theft is posing as another person

Hint: Type the two-word term for using someone's stolen details to pretend to be them.

2. Stolen data from a breach can fuel fraud

Hint: Type the security event where personal data is exposed to attackers.

3. IF breach = TRUE THEN notify(customers)

Hint: Type the function name that warns affected people about the incident.

4. Organisations have an ethical duty to protect people from identity theft

Hint: Type the word for a moral responsibility that organisations must meet.

5. Fraud can cause financial harm to victims

Hint: Type the word describing harm related to money lost through fraud.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A IF stolen_data = FALSE THEN

B warn(customers)

C offer_credit_monitoring()

D END IF

Line A — The warning should be sent when personal data HAS been stolen. Testing for FALSE means customers are only warned when nothing was taken. It should be IF stolen_data = TRUE THEN.

Question 2

A stolen ← breach.get_details()

B IF stolen.has_tfn = TRUE THEN

C risk ← 'low'

D warn(customer, risk)

E END IF

Line C — A stolen tax file number gives criminals enough to commit serious identity fraud, so the risk must be 'high', not 'low'. The line should be risk ← 'high'.

Question 3

A def warn(name, email):

B msg = 'Data was stolen'

C send_email(email, msg)

D print('Warned' name)

Line D — The arguments to print() must be separated by a comma. It should be print('Warned', name).

Question 4

A FOR EACH user IN breached_list

B freeze(user.account)

C notify(user)

D count ← 1

E END FOR

Line D — The counter of protected victims must increase by one each loop. Setting count to 1 each time means it never counts them all. It should be count ← count + 1.

Question 5

A loss = len(fraud_amounts)

B if loss > 0:

C compensate(victim, loss)

Line A — len() only counts how many fraud transactions there were. The financial harm is the total amount stolen, so it should be loss = sum(fraud_amounts).

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