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CSUK Lesson Retrieval Practice – Answer Sheet

Security Threats (OCR)
1. What is malware? [1]

Malware is any software that can cause harm to a computer system or user [1].

2. According to the lesson theory, what are the three main types of viruses? [3]

The three main types of viruses are Standard Virus [1], Worms Virus [1], and Trojan Virus [1].

3. What is the difference between viruses and spyware? [2]

Viruses aim to cause physical harm to a computer system [1], while spyware aims to spy on the user and
send back information about them [1].

4. What is adware? [1]

Adware is a type of malware that downloads and displays unwanted ads and collects marketing
information about a user's online habits [1].

5. What is pharming? [1]

Pharming is a type of malware that seeks to change the IP address stored in the DNS or cached on a
computer to redirect users to a phoney website instead of the intended one [1].

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6. What is scareware? [1]

Scareware is a type of malware that often comes in the form of a pop-up telling the user they have a virus
and then advertising purchasable software that claims to remove the malware [1].

7. What is ransomware? [1]

Ransomware is a type of malware that seeks to lock a user's computer and demand payment to unlock it
[1].

8. What is a rootkit? [1]

A rootkit is a type of malware that contains a set of tools allowing a criminal to access a computer at an
administrator level, enabling them to do what they like [1].

9. What is social engineering? [1]

Social engineering is the act of manipulating people to make mistakes that compromise a network's
security [1], often used by criminals to force people to give away passwords or other sensitive
information.

10. What are Brute Force Attacks? [1]

Brute Force Attacks are a method used by criminals to gain access to a secure network by carrying out a
systematic trial-and-error approach to guessing a user's password [1].

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