Safe Computing (College Board AP® Computer Science Principles): Flashcards
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- FrontRisks to privacy
Define personally identifiable information (PII).
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Define personally identifiable information (PII).
Personally identifiable information is information about an individual that identifies, links, relates, or describes them.
Name three examples of PII.
Examples of PII include a Social Security number, age, race, phone numbers, medical information, financial information, and biometric data.
Name two ways computing devices collect data from users.
Devices collect data through search engine history, website tracking, device tracking, location tracking, and app usage tracking.
Name two ways collected data can enhance the user experience.
Collected data can provide search suggestions, product recommendations, simplified purchases, and targeted advertising.
True or False?
Users are always fully aware of the PII that computing innovations collect about them.
False.
PII is often collected without the user being fully aware of what is being recorded.
Name two ways collected personal data can be misused.
Personal data can be misused for stalking, identity theft, and crime such as fraud or harassment.
How does identity theft make use of stolen PII?
Stolen PII allows criminals to impersonate someone for financial gain.
Define aggregated data.
Aggregated data combines pieces of information from many sources to build a detailed profile of an individual.
Why can combining individually harmless pieces of data be a privacy risk?
Combined data often reveals far more than the user intended to share.
Disparate personal data such as geolocation, _______, and browsing history can be aggregated to create knowledge about an individual.
Disparate personal data such as geolocation, cookies, and browsing history can be aggregated to create knowledge about an individual.
Name two reasons why information posted online is difficult to delete.
Information is hard to delete because copies may be stored on multiple servers and backups, other users may have copied or downloaded it, and search engines and archives may have indexed it.
Give an example of information placed online being used in a way that was not intended.
Examples include emails being forwarded and social media posts being viewed by potential employers years after posting.
Define authentication.
Authentication is the process of verifying that a user is who they claim to be before granting access.
Name three features of a strong password.
A strong password is memorable for the user, not easily guessable, and long enough that brute-force attacks would take too long.
Why should a different password be used for each account?
Using different passwords means one compromised account does not put others at risk.
Define multifactor authentication.
Multifactor authentication requires the user to provide multiple types of evidence to verify their identity.
What are the three categories that multifactor authentication factors come from?
Factors come from something the user knows, something the user has, and something the user is.
A fingerprint scan belongs to which category of authentication factor?
A fingerprint scan is something the user is.
What do permission settings control within an application?
Permission settings control what each user can see and do.
Define encryption.
Encryption is the process of encoding data so that only authorized parties can read it.
Define decryption.
Decryption is the process of decoding encrypted data.
Define symmetric encryption.
Symmetric encryption uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt the data.
Define public key encryption.
Public key encryption uses a pair of keys: a public key encrypts the data and only the matching private key can decrypt it.
True or False?
In public key encryption, the private key is shared openly.
False.
The public key is shared openly. The private key is kept secret.
What problem does public key encryption solve?
Public key encryption solves the problem of sharing a key over an insecure channel.
Define certificate authority.
A certificate authority is a trusted organization that issues digital certificates verifying that a public key belongs to the entity claiming it.
True or False?
Encrypting a file proves who sent it.
False.
Encryption only encodes data. Verifying who someone is requires authentication.
Define malware.
Malware is malicious software designed to gain unauthorized access to a system, damage data, or interfere with normal operation.
Define computer virus.
A computer virus is a malicious program that can copy itself and gain access to a computer in an unauthorized way.
How does anti-malware software detect threats?
Anti-malware software scans files and compares them against known malware patterns.
What do software updates fix?
Software updates fix errors and security vulnerabilities that attackers could otherwise exploit.
Software updates include _______, which fix recently discovered security vulnerabilities.
Software updates include patches, which fix recently discovered security vulnerabilities.
Why are security updates an ongoing necessity?
Security updates are always needed because new vulnerabilities are discovered all the time.
Define social engineering.
Social engineering refers to attack methods that trick people into revealing information or taking actions that compromise security.
Name two human traits that social engineering exploits.
Social engineering exploits human trust, fear, urgency, or curiosity.
Define phishing.
Phishing is a social engineering attack that uses disguised emails or websites to trick users into revealing personal information.
Name two common phishing tactics.
Phishing tactics include:
Emails that appear to come from a trusted source
Malicious links to fake login pages
Unsolicited attachments that install malware
Urgent or threatening language
Name two unsafe practices that make attacks more likely to succeed.
Unsafe practices include downloading from untrusted sources, clicking links in unexpected messages, reusing the same password, and ignoring security warnings.
How can users protect themselves against unsolicited attachments?
Users should not open attachments from unknown senders.
In social engineering, the ____, not the system, is the target.
In social engineering, the user, not the system, is the target.
Define technical exploitation.
Technical exploitation refers to attack methods that target weaknesses in hardware, software, or networks rather than tricking users directly.
Define keylogging.
Keylogging is recording every keystroke a user types on their device.
Why is keylogging dangerous?
Captured keystrokes often include usernames, passwords, and payment information.
Define rogue access point.
A rogue access point is a Wi-Fi access point that appears legitimate but is controlled by an attacker.
Name two things an attacker can do once users connect to a rogue access point.
The attacker can monitor all data sent and received, redirect users to fake sites, and capture login credentials.
True or False?
Data sent over a public network cannot be changed before it reaches its destination.
False.
Data on a public network can be intercepted, then read or modified before reaching its destination.
Why are technical exploitation attacks difficult to defend against?
They often happen without the user noticing.
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