Safe Internet Browsing Flashcards

What does the padlock icon in a browser's address bar indicate?

Answer: The connection between your browser and the website is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS

The padlock icon indicates that the connection uses HTTPS encryption, meaning data transmitted between your browser and the server is encrypted, but it does not guarantee the website itself is safe or trustworthy.

What is a drive-by download attack?

Answer: Malware that automatically downloads and installs when a user visits a compromised website, without any clicks or interaction required

Drive-by downloads exploit browser or plugin vulnerabilities to silently download and install malware when a user simply visits an infected web page, requiring no user interaction.

Why is it important to keep your web browser updated?

Answer: Browser updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers actively exploit to compromise systems

Browser updates patch security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit through malicious websites, drive-by downloads, and other web-based attacks, making updates critical for safe browsing.

What is browser fingerprinting?

Answer: A tracking technique that identifies users by collecting unique characteristics of their browser configuration and system

Browser fingerprinting creates a unique profile of your browser based on characteristics like installed plugins, screen resolution, fonts, and hardware, enabling tracking without cookies.

What is the purpose of a browser's private or incognito mode?

Answer: It prevents the browser from saving local browsing history, cookies, and form data from the session

Private/incognito mode prevents the browser from saving browsing history, cookies, site data, and form entries locally after the session ends, but does not make browsing anonymous to websites, ISPs, or network administrators.

What is a malicious browser extension and how can it compromise your security?

Answer: A browser add-on that appears useful but secretly collects data, injects ads, or redirects traffic for malicious purposes

Malicious browser extensions disguise themselves as legitimate tools but can read all data on visited websites, capture passwords, inject unwanted content, track browsing activity, or redirect searches.