Skip to content
Educator
GCSE Computer Science

Cyber Security

146 questions17 subtopicsAQAOCREdexcelEduqas
Practise all 146 questions free →

What's covered

Password Protocols10
Penetration Testing — Definition and Types10
Removable Media and Outdated Software10
Social Engineering — Blagging, Phishing, Shouldering10
Automated Software Updates9
Email Confirmation Processes9
Malware Types — Viruses, Trojans, Spyware9
Pharming9
Protection Against Social Engineering9
Weak / Default Passwords and Access Control9
Biometric Systems8
CAPTCHA8
Cyber Security — Definition and Purpose8
Protection Against Malware8
Social Engineering — Definition8
Cyber Security Threats — Overview6
Malware — Definition6

Key facts

1

Automated Software Updates

Automatic updates can apply security patches without user delay.

2

Biometric Systems

A user cannot forget their fingerprint or face — the body feature is always with them, unlike a password.

3

CAPTCHA

CAPTCHAs on a login form help block automated brute-force attempts because each guess requires solving a fresh CAPTCHA.

4

Cyber Security Threats — Overview

Routine events like a printer running out of toner, a disconnected monitor, or an authorised user logging in correctly are not cyber-security threats — they're operational issues.

5

Cyber Security — Definition and Purpose

The three core goals of cyber security are Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability — known as the CIA triad.

6

Email Confirmation Processes

Email confirmation alone is NOT a complete two-factor authentication system — it's a single account-creation check, not an ongoing second login factor.

7

Malware Types — Viruses, Trojans, Spyware

Viruses, trojans and spyware are all forms of malware.

8

Malware — Definition

Malware is software intentionally designed to harm a computer, steal data, or disrupt services.

9

Password Protocols

Requiring a mix of letters, digits and symbols increases the search space, making a password harder to guess by brute force.

10

Penetration Testing — Definition and Types

A black-box test most closely resembles a real outside attack because the tester starts with no insider information.

Sample questions

A taste of the 146 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.

1Automated Software Updates

Why use automated software updates?

  • ✓Apply security patches without delay
  • •Automatically back up files to the cloud
  • •Prevent users from changing system settings
  • •Reduce the size of installed software over time
2Biometric Systems

Which is an example of biometric authentication?

  • •A PIN code memorised by the user
  • •A security question with a typed answer
  • •A typed password chosen by the user
  • ✓Fingerprint scanner on a smartphone
3CAPTCHA

Which is a typical CAPTCHA challenge?

  • •Calculate the square root of pi exactly
  • ✓Click images that contain traffic lights
  • •Read aloud a poem stored on the server
  • •Type your full date of birth into a box
4Cyber Security Threats — Overview

Which is a typical cyber security threat?

  • •A monitor disconnected from the tower PC
  • •A printer running out of toner ink suddenly
  • •A user logging in with their real password
  • ✓Malware delivered via email attachments
5Cyber Security — Definition and Purpose

What is the purpose of cyber security?

  • •To compress files for less storage usage
  • •To make programs run more quickly always
  • ✓To prevent unauthorised access to data
  • •To replace the need for any user accounts
6Email Confirmation Processes

Why send a confirmation link to a new user's email?

  • •To delete the user from the database
  • •To let them choose a password later
  • •To upgrade the user's email account
  • ✓To verify they own that email address

Try it for four weeks. Free.

One school. Unlimited classes. No card limit. No teacher limit. If your students aren't practising daily by the end of the trial, you owe us nothing.

More GCSE Computer Science topics

📖 All GCSE Computer Science key terms & vocabulary →