Unit 3.8B Data Theft

Describe phishing

Phishing is the method of misleading individuals or organisations into sharing sensitive information (such as passwords or bank details), often through the use of emails.

Phishers may pose as a trusted company like Amazon or YouTube to direct users to open malicious attachments or encourage them to follow fraudulent links to steal their data.

Describe social engineering

Social engineering means to trick others into revealing their personal data by posing as a trusted source.

For example, impersonating an IT

technician of a school via email and asking for a student's username and password.

Describe interception

This is when data packets on a network are intercepted by a third party (e.g. a hacker) and copied to a different location than the intended destination.

Social engineering means to trick others into revealing their personal data by posing as a trusted source.

Describe physical theft

Computer systems (e.g.laptops) or storage devices (e.g. USB stick) may be stolen in public or from offices.