DL Cybersecurity and Online Safety 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'zero-day vulnerability'?
- A bug that causes systems to crash at midnight
- A security flaw unknown to the vendor that has no available patch (Correct answer)
- A vulnerability discovered on the first day of a product launch
- An attack that takes zero seconds to execute
Correct answer: A security flaw unknown to the vendor that has no available patch
A zero-day vulnerability is a software flaw that is unknown to those responsible for patching it, leaving systems exposed with zero days to fix it before it can be exploited.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a firewall?
- To speed up internet connections
- To monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules (Correct answer)
- To encrypt files stored on a hard drive
- To scan emails for spelling errors
Correct answer: To monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules
A firewall acts as a barrier between trusted internal networks and untrusted external networks, filtering traffic based on predetermined security rules.
Question 3: Which type of malware encrypts a victim's files and demands payment for the decryption key?
- Spyware
- Adware
- Ransomware (Correct answer)
- Rootkit
Correct answer: Ransomware
Ransomware encrypts a victim's files and demands a ransom—typically in cryptocurrency—in exchange for the decryption key.
Question 4: What does 'least privilege' mean in cybersecurity?
- Giving users the minimum access rights needed to perform their job (Correct answer)
- Restricting internet access for low-level employees only
- Assigning the weakest possible passwords to unprivileged users
- Blocking all external connections by default
Correct answer: Giving users the minimum access rights needed to perform their job
The principle of least privilege limits user access rights to only what is necessary for their role, reducing the attack surface if an account is compromised.
Question 5: You receive an urgent email from your 'bank' asking you to verify your account by clicking a link. What should you do?
- Click the link and verify quickly to avoid account suspension
- Forward the email to friends to warn them
- Go directly to the bank's official website by typing the URL yourself (Correct answer)
- Reply to the email with your account number
Correct answer: Go directly to the bank's official website by typing the URL yourself
Navigating directly to the bank's official website avoids clicking potentially malicious links in phishing emails.
Question 6: What is a 'botnet'?
- A network of robots used in manufacturing
- A collection of internet-connected devices infected with malware and controlled by an attacker (Correct answer)
- A secure private network for bots in customer service
- Software that blocks malicious bots from websites
Correct answer: A collection of internet-connected devices infected with malware and controlled by an attacker
A botnet is a network of compromised computers (bots) controlled remotely by an attacker to perform coordinated attacks like DDoS or spam campaigns.
Question 7: What is 'social engineering' in the context of cybersecurity?
- Building secure social media platforms
- Manipulating people psychologically to divulge confidential information or perform actions (Correct answer)
- Engineering software for social networks
- Using algorithms to detect fake social media profiles
Correct answer: Manipulating people psychologically to divulge confidential information or perform actions
Social engineering exploits human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information or granting unauthorized access.
DL Cybersecurity and Online Safety 3
What is a 'zero-day vulnerability'?