
AQA Computer Science GCSE
Cyber Security
Cyber security is a major issue. It's all about how we protect computer systems and our data from attack and damage.
In a modern world that's increasingly dependent on computer systems and the data they store and process, it's vital that we're able to use those systems whenever we need to. But there are all sorts of reasons why they might be under attack and ways we might lose control of our data.
What is Cyber Security?
Cyber Security Headlines - mostly from 2019 (created 27 March 2019)
You need to know a quite complex definition of cyber security and to describe what the main purposes of security are.
Cyber Security Intro - intro slides from class
There are seven classic cyber security threats that you need to understand about.
Cyber Security Threats - slides from class
Cyber Security Textbook Spread - notes on some details and plenty of activities
Then you need to know about Penetration Testing and how it works.
Penetration Testing - summary slides
Before the 2024 exams, questions used the terms "white box testing" (malicious insider) and "black box testing" (external attack). You might see these used on older exam questions and in resources.
Some detail...
You might want a little more detail on some of the threats:
Password Security - slides from class
Threats Table - a writing frame to help structure this if you need it
- The Quiet War Squirrels Are Waging on U.S. Stock Exchanges
- The Atlantic, July 2015
- Internet service is back for about 200 homes in Holbeach St Johns after attempted theft of fibre optic cables
- Spalding Today, February 2019