AQA Computer Science GCSE
Cyber Security – Malicious code
Malicious code is computer code written to damage a system, to steal data or to be intrusive in some way. It is generally called malware.
The three types of malware you need to know about are:
- computer viruses
- trojans
- spyware
Note that in some ways the effects of each of these can be similar – viruses, trojans and spyware can all be used to steal data, for example. The key difference is in terms of how they get their way into a computer system in the first place.
Malware slides – intro slides from class
Managing Malware – slides illustrating ways in which malware can be managed
Malware notes – textbook double page spread
Table to print – if you need a framework for note taking
Malware Examples
It's helpful to read about some real world examples of security issues caused by malware:
- Top university under 'ransomware' cyber-attack
– 15 June 2017. Example of a ransomware attack linked to phishing and/or pharming - Massive ransomware infection hits computers in 99 countries – 13 May 2017. A massive ransomware attack which hit the NHS in particular
- Hackers beat university cyber-defences in two hours – 4 April 2019. Includes references to malware, spear phishing and penetration testing
- Computer virus alters cancer scan images – 4 April 2019
Hacking is an area that will be covered by longer exam questions on paper 2 as it falls within the Unit 8 – Ethics section of the syllabus.