Chapter 5 - The internet and its uses Flashcards
(99 cards)
1
Q
What is the internet?
A
A very large global network that allows users to access the world wide web.
2
Q
What is infrastructure?
A
The physical structure (such as all the components and cables) that are used to connect devices.
3
Q
What is a network?
A
Computers and devices that are joined together using cables or wireless technology.
4
Q
What is the world wide web?
A
The collection of all the web pages and websites that have been made available.
5
Q
What is a website?
A
A collection of web pages, normally about a related topic or purpose.
6
Q
What is a web page?
A
A single page within a website.
7
Q
What is a uniform resource location (URL)?
A
Another name for the text-based address for a website.
8
Q
What is a web browser?
A
A piece of software that retrieves and displays web pages.
9
Q
What are the 3 main components of a URL?
A
- Protocol
- Domain name
- Web page/file name
10
Q
What is a protocol?
A
A set of rules for transmitting data.
11
Q
What is a domain name?
A
A specific part of a URL that contains the unique name for the web server.
12
Q
What is the a domain name server (DNS)?
A
A special server that contains a database of domain names and their corresponding IP address.
13
Q
What is a web server?
A
A component where the web pages for a website are stored.
14
Q
How is a web page requested and retrieved by a computer?
A
- User opens web browser and types URL in address bar
- Web browser sends URL for website to DNS
- DNS searches its database of domain names to find equivalent IP address of the web server that stores the website
- If it is not found, URL is sent to the next DNS
- This process will repeat until domain name is found
- If it is not found at all, message is sent back to the web browser to say the website is not found
- When the DNS finds the domain name, it sends the equivalent IP address back to the web browser
15
Q
What is the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)?
A
A protocol that is used for the transmission of web pages and related data across the internet.
16
Q
What is hypertext markup language (HTML)?
A
A scripting (web authoring) language that is used to create web pages.
17
Q
What is cascading style sheet (CSS)?
A
A scripting language that is used to create a presentation template for a web page. It includes what kind of font and colour text will appear on the web page.
18
Q
What is active script?
A
A script that is used to produce any of the interactive elements of a web page.
19
Q
How does a web browser request a web page?
A
- Web browser receives IP address for the website from the DNS and knows where to find it
- Web browser sends a request to the web server to ask for the web page from the website using the HTTP
- Web server receives the request for the web page and sends the data for the website, including the HTML, CSS and any active script back to the browser using the HTTP
- Web browser renders HTML, CSS and any active script to display the web page
20
Q
What is the hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS)?
A
A secure version of the HTTP that encrypts data for transmission.
21
Q
What is encryption?
A
A method of securing data for storage or transmission that scrambles it and makes it meaningless.
22
Q
What is a digital certificate?
A
A certificate that is awarded to a website if they can prove that they are a real organisation and take measures to securely transmit their data.
23
Q
What is certificate authority?
A
The awarding organisation that checks if another organisation is real and secure before awarding them a digital certificate.
24
Q
How does a web browser request a digital certificate from a web server?
A
- Before requesting the web pages, the web browser sends a request to the web server asking it to provide a digital certificate
- Web server sends a copy of the digital certificate to the web browser
- Web browser checks if the digital certificate is authentic
- If certificate is authentic, web browser will allow communication to continue with the web server and any data that is transmitted between the two is encrypted
- If certificate is not authentic, web browser will report that the website is not secure
25
What is the secure sockets layer (SSL) protocol?
A type of protocol that encrypts data for transmission. It is the protocol that is combined with the HTTP to create HTTPS.
26
What is the transport layer security (TLS) protocol?
An updated version of the SSL protocol.
27
What is rendering?
The method of processing all the web page data (such as HTML) to display the web page.
28
What are the main functions of a web browser? (6)
- Provides address bar to type in a URL
- Keeps record of all visited web pages (user history)
- Allows user to bookmark web pages and set favourites for quicker access
- Allows user to open multiple tabs at a time
- Allows user to navigate between web pages (e.g. forward, back and reload buttons)
- Stores cookies and manages their transmitting process
29
What is a cookie?
Small text file that is used to store personal data by a web browser.
30
What are some examples of data stored in cookies?
- Usernames and passwords
- Bank card details
- Storing products in a virtual shopping cart
- General information for targeted advertising
31
What are the 2 main types of cookies?
- Session cookie
- Persistent cookie
32
What is a session cookie?
A type of cookie that is deleted when the web browser is closed.
33
What is a persistent cookie?
A type of cookie that is stored by the web browser until it is deleted by the user or has expired.
34
How are session cookies loaded?
1. User visits the web page that is stored on the web server
2. Session cookies are sent from the web server to the user's web browser
3. Session cookies are deleted once the browser is closed
35
How are persistent cookies loaded?
1. User visits the web page that is stored on the web server
2. Persistent cookies are sent from the web server to the user's web browser
3. Persistent cookies are permanently stored by user's web browser on their hard drive (until deleted or expired)
4. Persistent cookies are sent to the web server every time the user visits the web page
36
What is digital currency?
A currency that exists electronically rather than physically.
37
What is cryptocurrency?
A type of digital currency that uses encryption procedures.
38
What is blockchain?
A method that is used to track all the transactions made with a cryptocurrency.
39
What is a digital ledger?
A database that is a list of all the transactions recorded by the use of blockchain.
40
What happens during a cryptocurrency transaction process?
1. User sends payment using cryptocurrency. The data is encrypted before it is sent.
2. Details of the payment are added to a digital ledger. The data stored on the ledger is encrypted and cannot be changed.
3. The payment arrives to the intended user and only exists electronically
41
What is a perpetrator?
A person that carries out an illegal or immoral action.
42
What is a brute-force attack?
A type of cyber threat that involves repeatedly inputting a password until the correct one is found in order to try and break into an account or device.
43
What is the purpose of a brute-force attack?
To steal important personal data or to use your account to buy products online.
44
What security solutions can be used to prevent a brute-force attack?
- Strong password
- Limited number of attempts at entering a password
- Biometric password
- Two-step verification
45
What is a biometric password?
A type of password that uses a person's biological data (such as their fingerprint).
46
What is a biometric device?
A device that allows a user to record and input a biometric password.
47
What is two-step verification?
A process that involves inputting two different kinds of data to enter an account or device.
48
What is a data packet?
A unit of data that is used to transmit data across a network.
49
What is a packet sniffer?
A piece of software that is used to examine the contents in a packet of data.
50
What happens during data interception?
Data packets are intercepted and examined through the use of software such as a packet sniffer.
51
What is the purpose of data interception?
To steal important personal data for criminal activity such as identity theft or fraud.
52
What security solutions can be used to prevent data interception?
- Encryption (e.g. SSL protocol)
- Visually checking URL of website to see if it uses the HTTPS protocol
53
What is a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack?
A type of cyber threat that targets a web server to cause it to crash and prevent access to web pages that it stores.
54
What is a botnet?
A network of bots that are created to carry out a DDoS attack.
55
What is malware?
A type of malicious software that is downloaded onto a user's computer or device.
56
What is a bot?
The name given to a computer that has had malware downloaded onto it that will cause it to be used in a DDoS attack.
57
What is a zombie?
The name given to a bot that has malware downloaded onto it to allow it to be used in a DDoS attack but is currently not being used. It is effectively a dormant/sleeping bot.
58
What is a proxy server?
A method of cyber security that examines requests sent by devices to access the web pages stored on a web server.
59
What is anti-malware?
A type of software that scans a computer or device with the purpose of finding and removing malware.
60
What happens during a DDoS attack?
Malware is sent to lots of computers to turn them into bots to create a botnet. The perpetrator then uses the botnet to send many requests to a web server, all at the same time.
61
What is the purpose of a DDoS attack?
To cause the web server to crash. Perpetrator may be doing this to demand money for it to stop, or as an act of revenge or activism.
62
What security solutions can be used to prevent a DDoS attack?
- Proxy server
- Scan computer regularly with anti-malware
63
How does a proxy server prevent DDoS attacks?
1. All requests for the web server are passed through the proxy server first and examined before being forwarded to the web server to allow access
2. If proxy server begins to receive many requests, it prevents flooding by passing them at a slower rate (to still allow legitimate users to access the website)
3. Uses caching feature
64
What is caching?
Stops any repeated requests for a short period of time from an IP address once it has requested access to a website. This ensures not all bot requests are passed onto the web server, making it more difficult to flood it.
65
What is hacking?
The act of gaining unauthorised access to data. This is normally done to steal or corrupt data.
66
What is a hacker?
The name given to a perpetrator that carries out an act of hacking.
67
What is a firewall?
A cyber security method that is used to examine incoming and outgoing traffic from a computer or network.
68
What is a port?
An entry point into a computer or network.
69
What are the characteristics and features of a firewall?
- Can be software based or hardware based
- Examines any data that is sent into and out of your computer
- Rules can be set by giving firewall set of criteria to examine data against (whether to accept data or not)
- Can be used to close ports to a network
70
What happens during hacking?
A hacker gains unauthorised access to your data by exploiting a vulnerability in your computer or network.
71
What is the purpose of hacking?
To steal, corrupt or leak your data for criminal activity.
72
What security solutions can be used to prevent hacking?
- Firewall
- Automatic software updates
- Strong/biometric passwords
- Two-step verification
73
What are the features of a virus?
- Downloaded onto your hard drive
- Replicates itself
- Corrupts stored data
- Uses up all available memory
- Causes computer to slow down and crash
74
What are the features of a worm?
- Replicates itself
- Finds vulnerability holes in a network to replicate
- Clogs up bandwidth of a network and slows it down
75
What are the features of spyware?
- Downloaded onto your hard drive
- Records your actions (e.g. keylogger)
- Reveals personal data such as passwords through your patterns in data
- Allows access to online accounts for fraud and identity theft
76
What are the features of a trojan horse?
- Downloaded onto your hard drive
- Disguises other malware
- Looks like a harmless software
- Contains other malware which it releases
77
What are the features of adware?
- Automatically creates pop up and banner adverts when you are online
- Adware creators are given money by the companies that appear in the advertisements when you click them
78
What are the features of ransomware?
- Downloaded onto your hard drive or other hardware
- Encrypts your data to stop you from accessing it
- Creators will demand ransom and threaten to release/leak data
79
What is an anti-virus?
A type of software that scans a computer for viruses with the purpose of finding and removing them.
80
What is a data backup?
A copy of data that is stored separate from the computer.
81
What happens during a malware attack?
Malicious software is downloaded onto your computer or network.
82
What is the purpose of a malware attack?
- Corrupt your data
- Gain access to your data
- Damage your hardware
83
What security solutions can be used to prevent malware attacks?
- Anti-malware software (including anti-virus and anti-spyware)
- Firewall
- Exercising caution when downloading software
- Creating a data backup
84
What is pharming?
A type of cyber threat that involves downloading malicious software onto a user's hard drive that redirects a request aimed at a genuine website to a fake website instead. The fake website will encourage the user to input their personal data, allowing it to be stolen.
85
What is a hard drive?
A storage device that stores data permanently until it is deleted by the user.
86
How can we thoroughly check to ensure a website is genuine?
- Check for correct URL at top of screen
- If site is secured using HTTPS
- If website looks normal (no unusual colours, images etc.)
87
Describe the process of pharming.
1. Perpetrator tricks user into downloading malicious software that redirects them to their fake website
2. User types in URL for genuine website
3. Request gets redirected to the fake website
4. Any personal data input is obtained by the perpetrator
88
What happens during pharming?
Malicious software is downloaded onto your hard drive that will redirect you to a fake web page when you input the genuine URL.
89
What is the purpose of pharming?
To get your personal data to commit criminal activity such as stealing your money, identity theft or fraud.
90
What security solutions can be used to prevent pharming?
- Anti-malware software
- Visually checking web page
- Only downloading from trusted sources
91
What is phishing?
A type of cyber threat that involves sending a user a fake email that is designed to look genuine. It will encourage the user to provide their personal data either by clicking a link to a fake website or by responding to the email.
92
What are some examples of things perpetrators tell you in a phishing email to trick you?
- Unusual activity
- Won a prize
- Confirmation of purchase
- Getting a refund (taxes, purchases etc.)
93
How can we prevent being fooled by a phishing email?
- Check spelling and tone of text
- Check if email is personalised or addressed generically
- Check if URL in email is the correct company one
- Check if URL at top of screen is correct
- Check if site is secured using HTTPS
- Check if website looks normal
94
What is social engineering?
A cyber threat that involves manipulating or deceiving people into providing confidential or personal data.
95
What is an access level?
The amount of direct access a user is given to data and resources. This could be set to be only certain sections of a whole collection of data and resources.
96
What is a username?
A text-based identification that is given to a user that identifies the level of access that they have to stored data and resources.
97
What happens during social engineering?
A perpetrator will try and manipulate and deceive you into providing them with personal or confidential data.
98
What is the purpose of social engineering?
- Stealing your money
- Hacking into a computer network
- Identity theft or fraud
99
What security solutions can be used to prevent social engineering?
- Access level
- Awareness of how social engineering is conducted
