Unit 12: Understanding The Need of Security Measures - Practice Quiz

1 What does the 'C' in the CIA triad of information security stand for?

2 Which term describes any potential danger that could exploit a weakness in a computer system?

3 What is a scam that tricks users into revealing personal information through fake emails or websites called?

4 Stealing someone's personal details to pretend to be them online is known as:

5 Which of the following is a common physical threat to computer hardware?

6 Which device helps protect hardware from sudden power failures and voltage fluctuations?

7 A malicious program that can replicate itself and spread to other files is called a:

8 Which type of malware locks or encrypts a user's data and demands payment to release it?

9 Cyber terrorism mainly refers to the use of computers and the internet to:

10 Which of these is a likely target of a cyber terrorist attack?

11 Which software is designed to detect and remove malicious programs from a computer?

12 What is the main purpose of a firewall?

13 Which of the following is the strongest password?

14 Adding a second step, like a code sent to your phone, when logging in is called:

15 Which practice best helps protect your privacy on social media?

16 What is a cookie in the context of web browsing?

17 How can a user manage or remove cookies stored on their computer?

18 What does spyware primarily do?

19 Converting data into a coded form so only authorized people can read it is called:

20 Why is it important to regularly back up your data?

21 A bank wants to ensure that only account holders can view their statements and that the data is not altered in transit. Which two components of the CIA triad are being addressed?

22 An employee receives an email that appears to be from the company's IT department asking them to confirm their login credentials via a link. This is an example of which threat to users?

23 A user notices their files have been renamed with a strange extension and a message demands payment to unlock them. Which type of malware is most likely responsible?

24 A company installs its servers in a room without temperature control. Over time the servers fail frequently. Which category of hardware threat does this represent?

25 A program secretly monitors which websites a user visits and sends this information to advertisers without consent. What is this program best classified as?

26 A user wants websites to remember their login sessions but does not want tracking data to persist after closing the browser. Which approach best fits this need?

27 An attacker disables a nation's power grid control systems to cause widespread panic and disruption. This act is best described as:

28 A company performs a full backup on Sunday and only backs up files changed since that full backup each following day. Which backup type are the daily backups?

29 A user encrypts a file with a strong algorithm before uploading it to cloud storage. What is the main security benefit of doing this?

30 Which practice most effectively reduces the damage caused if one of your online passwords is leaked in a data breach?

31 A firewall is configured on a home network. What is its primary function?

32 Before installing a free mobile flashlight app, a user notices it requests access to contacts, location, and microphone. What is the most privacy-conscious response?

33 An attacker calls an employee pretending to be a senior manager and pressures them to reveal a system password urgently. This technique is known as:

34 A frequent power outage in an area keeps shutting down office computers abruptly, risking data loss and hardware damage. Which device best addresses this problem?

35 A malicious program disguises itself as a useful game but secretly opens a backdoor for an attacker once installed. What is this type of malware called?

36 A photographer keeps the only copy of all client photos on a single laptop. Applying the 3-2-1 backup rule, what is the minimum change they should make?

37 A system requires a password and a one-time code sent to a phone before granting access. This security method is best described as:

38 Software vendors regularly release updates labelled as security patches. Why is applying them promptly important?

39 A user's browser suddenly shows constant pop-up advertisements and a changed homepage they did not set. Which type of unwanted software is the most likely cause?

40 A user connects to free public Wi-Fi at a café and wants to keep their browsing private from others on the same network. Which tool is most appropriate?

41 An organization implements a control that ensures a message received is identical to the message sent and has not been altered in transit. When an auditor asks which pillar of the CIA triad this specifically enforces, which answer is correct?

42 A security team wants a user to be unable to later deny having performed a digital transaction. Which security property must the implemented control provide?

43 A user receives an email that appears to be from their bank, urging them to click a link and 'verify' their credentials on a page that looks legitimate. The attack combines deception with a fake site. Which classification is most precise?

44 An attacker researches a specific executive's habits and sends a personalized message referencing a real meeting to steal login data. This targeted variant is best described as:

45 A data center in a region prone to voltage fluctuations experiences repeated silent corruption of running servers without total shutdown. Which protective device most directly addresses the root cause while power remains present?

46 A technician handling internal components without an anti-static wrist strap risks damaging chips even when no visible spark occurs. The underlying threat is:

47 A company keeps its only backup on an external drive stored next to the server in the same room. Analysts flag this as a weakness. Which threat scenario does this arrangement fail to protect against?

48 Ransomware encrypts a firm's files and demands payment. The firm has recent, tested, offline backups. What is the most defensible recovery decision?

49 An attack disables a nation's power-grid control systems to cause widespread civilian disruption for a political motive. Which term most accurately classifies this act?

50 Which factor most distinguishes cyber terrorism from a typical financially-motivated cybercrime?

51 A firewall is configured to inspect and control incoming and outgoing traffic. A user assumes it will also detect and remove viruses already on the disk. Why is this assumption flawed?

52 Security patches are released for a known vulnerability, yet an administrator delays applying them for months. What is the primary risk of this delay?

53 Comparing password strength, which of the following is hardest to crack by brute force, assuming an attacker knows the length?

54 A service offers 'two-factor authentication (2FA).' Which combination genuinely satisfies the definition of two factors?

55 A user wants to reduce their trackable online footprint. Which action provides the least actual privacy benefit despite seeming protective?

56 A shopping site keeps a user logged in across sessions and remembers their cart days later. Which cookie type is responsible, and why does deleting only session cookies fail to remove it?

57 A privacy analyst distinguishes first-party from third-party cookies. Why are third-party cookies of greater tracking concern?

58 A machine shows unexplained network traffic, sends contact lists externally, and installs a hidden program that records keystrokes. Which classification best fits software that secretly gathers and transmits user information?

59 A laptop is stolen but the entire disk was protected with full-disk encryption using a strong passphrase. What is the primary reason the confidential data remains protected?

60 An admin applies the 3-2-1 backup rule. Which arrangement correctly satisfies it?