If You Get 19/35 of These Cyber Security Questions Right, You're Probably Not a Complete Idiot Online

By: Heather Cahill
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
If You Get 19/35 of These Cyber Security Questions Right, You're Probably Not a Complete Idiot Online
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About This Quiz

Safety first, when you go online! Each day, it gets harder and harder to keep yourself protected when browsing online. There is always a new piece of technology that can make your data so much harder to protect. However, there are many methods you can use to help yourself. They may be tedious, like security questions or simple like two-factor authentication, but they're all useful tools. So, you think you know how to stay safe online?

Do you know about the different types of hackers and why they hack? What about the techniques they use to hack individuals or companies? Do you know what qualifies as hacking? So you know all of those, but do you know what a keylogger does? The world of hacking can be complicated!

Do you know how to protect yourself online? Do you know what a firewall does to protect you? How do you create a strong, perfectly crafted password? What about how to protect yourself from malware? It's all important stuff to know when protecting yourself on the net!

So, if you're the IT expert in your family or the tech-savvy one in your friend group, what are you waiting for? Take the quiz to see how safe you really are when you're on the web!

What should a strong password contain?
The name of your pet.
Your email address.
A special character.
Your name.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A strong password usually contains numbers along with special characters that are not in a sequence that is easy to guess. Things like birthdays, phone numbers or other numbers that are important in your life are probably not a good idea to use as passwords.

If you receive an email that looks suspicious, what should you do?
Call the police.
Open it.
Click on any links inside of it.
Delete it.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you receive an email that looks suspicious or malicious, delete it without opening it. If it claims to be from a company that you know and trust, you could first contact that company through their website - not by replying to the email in order to verify its validity.

What is used to stop malicious attempts at logging into an online account?
Email address.
Twitter authentication.
Pin number.
Security questions.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Security questions are a common way to help keep your account safe, as they ask information that others would typically not know about you. These can include things like the first street you lived on or your kindergarten teacher's name.

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What is a grey hat hacker?
A brand new hacker.
A hacker that hasn't decided which path to take.
A hacker who does bad but volunteers also.
A hacker that will sell their services to large organizations.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Grey hat hackers do good, but they are commonly individuals who sell something to a larger organization. For example, they may find something wrong with a program, and sell the information on the vulnerability back to the company so that they can fix it.

Is it true or false that someone can hack through Bluetooth?
True.
False.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is true. Bluetooth is just as susceptible to being hacked as Wifi is. It can lead to the same security problems as hacking over wifi, such as malware and spying.

What is a direct access attack?
An attack from another computer on the same network.
An attack from the same city.
Physical attacks on a computer.
An attack from a hard drive.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A direct access attack is typically an attack that is done physically and in person by the hacker. This means that they can go to the computer and take information from it or gain access to other things through it, as well as install malicious software onto it.

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Which of the following can also be a form of hacking?
Logging into your own online accounts.
Talking in chat rooms.
Direct messaging.
Eavesdropping.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eavesdropping can also be a form of hacking, as it involves connecting into a line to listen to a conversation. This is a breach of privacy that can be quite dangerous.

What should you do if you receive an unexpected payment from someone in the form of an email?
Click the links inside.
Reply to it.
Accept the payment.
Report it.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you receive an unexpected payment in the form of an email from a company, you should first report it to that company. They can verify if it is legitimate or if it is likely fraud. Do not click any links or buttons within the email, as it can be very dangerous if it is in fact fraud.

What is two-factor authentication?
A two-step hacking process.
Hacking software.
Security questions.
Added security on an account.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Two-factor authentication is a security process that protects online accounts even further than a username and password. It typically includes a code that no one except the account holder knows.

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Is it true or false that mobile phones can be hacked?
True.
False.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is true. Cell phones are vulnerable to being hacked, not only by tapping into your phones calls, but through other means as well. Hackers are able to hijack your phone and remotely access all of your photos, texts and other information, as well as take control.

What does the "P" in "VPN" stand for?
Portable.
Preliminary.
Proxy.
Private.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The acronym VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. This is used to provide extra security when browsing the internet by connecting to a larger network in another place. The larger network is typically more secure than the user's network.

What is malware?
Malicious software.
A program to stop viruses.
Government operated software.
A hacker group.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Malware is, quite literally, malicious software, as it is intended to do harm to your computer. There are many types of malware, including spyware, adware and trojans.

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What does a drive lock protect?
Social media.
Hard drives.
Disc drives.
Email.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A drive lock is used to protect hard drives from hackers, using a password. Unless you have the password to the hard drive, you would not be able to access any of its files.

What is a white hat hacker?
A criminal.
A hacker that belongs to a group.
A hacker that steals money.
An ethical hacker.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An ethical hacker is also called a white hat hacker. These hackers are not malicious - they work for companies to improve their security and protect their users. They do it for the greater good, rather than for personal or financial gain.

What term is used to describe attacks at opposing computer systems?
Direct attacks.
Independent attacks.
Cyberwarfare.
Battle hacking.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cyberwarfare is the term used for this, as it is a type of technological battle between systems. This typically takes place on a very large scale, as countries themselves battle it out against each other online.

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What is pinging used for?
Checking a connection.
Hacking into encrypted files.
Damaging files.
Collecting information remotely.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pinging is the process of checking a connection to a computer. In order to verify the connection after the ping is sent out, a reply is sent from the network or device to confirm its connection.

What was one of the most infectious and costly computer viruses, first seen in 2004?
ILOVEYOU.
Sasser.
MyDoom.
Zeus.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

MyDoom was a large virus that entered Windows computers through emails. The first bout of it took place in 2004, and has since returned a few times.

Is it true or false that small businesses are safe from cyber attacks?
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is false. Small business are just as vulnerable to attacks as anyone else. Many times, small businesses don't have an IT person to keep watch over their systems. This can lead to trouble if they're ever infected with a virus.

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What does a security analyst do?
Reports to the CEO.
Blocks attackers.
Watches trends in security.
Looks for security problems.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A security analyst looks for problems or issues that arise in the area of cybersecurity. Large companies often hire them to perform tests on their systems to make sure that everything is as safe as possible.

What term is used to describe hacking for a social cause?
Hack for change.
Positive hacking.
Hacktivism.
Hack out.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Hacktivism" is a term used when hacking for social change. Often, this type of hacking is done for greater good, but it can still be a dangerous practice for the participants.

What is often sold to inexperienced individuals to hack systems?
Fake viruses.
Key loggers.
Exploit kits.
Personal information.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hackers will often sell exploit kits to individuals who are inexperienced at hacking. Such kits come packed with viruses to infect the computer.

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Is it true or false that you can get malware from clicking ads?
True.
False.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is true. What may appear to be a safe, harmless ad on the side of a page can in fact spread malware to your computer. This can even happen if the ad is not clicked, making it that much more effective to spread to many users.

What does a firewall do?
Block any outside contact from your computer.
Protect your Facebook account.
Allow you to torrent files.
Monitor traffic.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A firewall monitors traffic and blocks anything that it finds suspicious. Firewalls can be an important tool to prevent hackers from accessing your computer and files, although it may not be all you need to stop them completely.

What is the internet of things?
A hacking course.
A security program.
A hacktivist group.
All of the connected gadgets in the world.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The internet of things is a term for anything in the world that uses technology. This can include the cell phones we carry with us daily to the cars that we use to get from place to place, to our appliances. As long as they use internet, they qualify.

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Attacks on corporations are usually done to receive what?
Employee names.
All of their money.
Credit card information.
Nothing, it's all for fun.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Large corporations and online retailers typically have a massive customer base that uses credit cards to make purchases. Many attacks on these companies are done to receive this customer information and credit card data for their own gain.

Is it true or false that large corporations now hire IT professionals to keep their data secure?
True.
False.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is true. In today's age, almost everything uses technology. This means that it is extra important that companies hire a team of trained professionals to keep everything safe, internally and externally.

What is clickjacking?
Stealing money.
Sending deceptive messages.
Hijacking a click.
A fake word.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Clickjacking is the practice of making someone believe they are clicking on something legitimate, when they are in fact clicking on an invisible, malicious link. This can spread malware easily to many people.

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What is the purpose of a key logger?
To see which key is pressed most.
To monitor website visits.
To record keyboard activity.
To look at emails.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Key loggers are used to record anything that is typed into a person's keyboard. This can even be done by a workplace. Commonly, key loggers are used by hackers to steal information such as passwords or banking information.

What should you do regularly to ensure your computer is clean?
Send it back to the retailer.
Have it inspected by a professional.
Do a security scan.
Wipe it.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Doing a security scan regularly can decrease the chance of your computer getting a virus. The scan will detect the virus and do what it can to eliminate it and keep your data safe.

Which of the following may seem safe, but has a possibility of spreading viruses?
Phone call.
Online video.
Music.
App.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Apps that you can download from the app store seem so harmless and fun. But if they aren't from a trusted source, there is a chance that they can also infect your phone or computer. To be on the safe side, it is better to only download apps from trusted developers.

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What can minimize your risk of getting a virus?
Answering texts.
Opening all emails.
Clicking on links in a chat room.
Only clicking on trusted websites.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Viruses are very easy to get, but to minimize that risk, only visit trusted websites that you know. Malicious websites can send viruses to your computer without your knowledge, making the attacks hard to recognize and eliminate.

Which of the following is not a way that your computer can get a virus?
Browsing through your email.
Talking in a chat room.
Clicking on a link.
Playing the pre-installed "Minesweeper."
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Your computer won't pick up a virus from the game "Minesweeper" that is often found on Windows computers! This came pre-installed, so there is no reason to worry - it came right from Microsoft.

Other than email, what other form of communication can hold a virus?
Skype call.
Facetime.
Phone call.
Text.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sometimes, spam texts pop up in our messages. These usually contain a link or direction in order to get us to do something. These links can infect cell phones and should not be clicked on. However, you can report these messages to your carrier.

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Is it true or false that even medical devices can be hacked?
True.
False.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is true. Many different brands of electronic medical devices have been proven vulnerable to hackers. This is an extreme threat to the well-being and life of the people who use these devices to live everyday.

What can help to prevent viruses from infecting your computer?
Install anti-virus software.
Stay off of the internet.
Use public networks.
Nothing.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Installing anti-virus software is the first step into keeping your computer safe from malicious software and viruses. There are also a few other ways, like using strong passwords and keeping your personal information safe.

You Got:
/35
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