Potential Risks to Data (Edexcel IGCSE Ict)
Exam board Pearson Edexcel · IGCSEUpdated 2024-06-06
Unauthorised access & accidental deletion
Spec point —
3.1.1
What is unauthorised access?
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Unauthorised access is when a user gains access to a network without permission
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Unauthorised access can be the result of:
- direct entry - a user tries to gain access directly by themselves or by by using software designed to try username and password combinations repeatedly (brute force attack)
- indirect entry- a users tries to gain access indirectly by exploiting vulnerabilities in software or users
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Some devices are the target of hackers to be used as botnets
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Botnets are groups of computers that are used without an owners knowledge to carry out harmful activities or spread malware
Accidental deletion
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Accidental deletion of data can occur when a user:
- Presses the wrong key on a keyboard
- Formats media on the wrong device
- Loses power unexpectedly
Malware
Spec point —
3.1.1
What is malware?
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Malware (malicious software) is the term used for any software that has been created with malicious intent to cause harm to a computer system
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Examples of issues caused by malware include
- Files being deleted, corrupted or encrypted
- Internet connection becoming slow or unusable
- Computer crashing or shutting down
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There are various types of malware and each has slightly different issues which they cause
| Malware | What it Does |
|---|---|
| Virus | - A program which can replicate itself on a user's computer. It contains code that will cause unwanted and unexpected events to occur - Examples of issues a user may experience are - Corrupt files - Delete data - Prevent applications from running correctly |
| Worms | - Worms are very similar to viruses, with the main difference being that they will **spread to other drives **and computers on the network - Worms can infect other computers from - Infected websites - Instant message services - Network connection |
| Trojan | - Sometimes also called a Trojan Horse - Trojans disguise themselves as legitimate software but contain malicious code in the background |
| Spyware | - Software which will allow a person to spy on the users' activities on their devices - This form of software will be embedded into other software such as games or programs that have been downloaded from illegitimate sources - Spyware can record your screen, log your keystrokes to gain access to passwords and more |
| Ransomware | - A form of malware that locks your computer or device and encrypts your documents and other important files - Often a demand is made for money to receive the password that will allow the user to decrypt the files - There is no guarantee paying the ransom will result in the user getting their data back |
Phishing & pharming
Spec point —
3.1.1
What is a phishing?
- Phishing is a form of social engineering
- It involves sending fraudulent, legitimate-looking emails to a large number of email addresses, claiming to be from a reputable company or trusted source to try and gain access to your details
- Phishing often tries to coax the user to click on a login button to enter their details
What are the effects of phishing?
- The creator of the email can gain unauthorised access to personal data such as login information, bank accounts and more
- Phishing can lead to identity theft or fraudulent activity on credit cards and bank accounts
How can phishing be prevented?
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Phishing can be prevented by:
- Anti-spam filters to avoid fraudulent emails arriving in a user's inbox
- Training staff to recognise fraudulent emails and to avoid opening attachments from unrecognised senders
- User access levels to prevent staff from being able to open files-types such as executable (.exe) files and batch (.bat) files
What is a pharming?
- Pharming is typing a website address into a browser and it is redirected to a 'fake' website to trick a user into typing in sensitive information such as passwords
- An attacker attempts to alter DNS settings or change a users browser settings to redirect users to the fraudulent website
What are the effects of pharming?
- The creator of the malicious content can gain unauthorised access to personal data such as login information, bank accounts and more
- Pharming can lead to identity theft or fraudulent activity on credit cards and bank accounts
How can pharming be prevented?
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Pharming can be prevented by:
- Keeping anti-malware software up to date
- Checking URLs regularly
- Make sure the padlock icon is visible
Worked Example Explain why phishing messages are sent to many users
[2]
Answer
- It increases the chances of a user responding [1] because not all users are vulnerable / phishing targets vulnerable users / more people are aware of phishing [1]
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