Cybersecurity and Digital Safety: Revision and References
Shared revision, practice questions, answer explanations and references from the original module.
By Akhilesh Saini
Module CA-09 — Consolidated quick revision
| Exam clue | Concept | Essential qualifier |
|---|---|---|
| File-attached replication | Virus | Not the name for all malware |
| Independent spreading | Worm | May exploit vulnerable services |
| Disguised harmful program | Trojan | Deception, not automatically replication |
| Hidden monitoring | Spyware | Unauthorized collection |
| Extortion after file/system disruption | Ransomware | Payment does not guarantee access |
| SMS / voice phishing | Smishing / Vishing | Channel-based names |
| Personalized deception | Spear phishing | May use researched details |
| Filters network traffic | Firewall | Does not prove permitted website is honest |
| Detects suspicious endpoint programs | Antivirus / anti-malware | May produce false positives and misses |
| Corrects software flaw | Security patch | From trusted update sources |
| Access based on minimum necessary rights | Least privilege | Reduces blast radius |
| Checks account claimant | Authentication | Distinct from authorization |
| Controls permitted actions | Authorization | Follows applicable identity/role rules |
| Temporary one-use code | OTP | Can be captured by phishing |
| Different factors for authentication | MFA | Two passwords are not two different factors |
| Secret-data concealment | Encryption | Requires keys and good endpoint controls |
| Data → fixed digest | Hashing | Not reversible encryption |
| Integrity + signing-key origin | Digital signature | Does not inherently conceal content |
| Full / incremental / differential | Backup types | Differ in what changes are stored |
| Acceptable lost-data time | RPO | Different from RTO |
| Service-restoration target | RTO | Different from RPO |
| Private mode | Limited local browser traces | Not Internet-wide anonymity |
| HTTPS | TLS-protected connection | Not a guarantee of honest content |
| Data minimization | Collect/use what is needed | Privacy principle |
| UPI PIN | Authorize applicable debit/payment action | Not required simply to receive ordinary credit |
| QR code | Optical information code | Not synonymous with NFC radio |
| Payment confirmation | Verify bank/app record | Screenshot alone is insufficient |
Ten final self-checks
- Malware is a broad term; virus, worm, Trojan, spyware and ransomware have distinguishing behaviors.
- Smishing is via SMS; vishing is via voice; social engineering exploits decisions.
- Antivirus scans threats; a firewall regulates traffic; a patch fixes software flaws.
- Authentication verifies identity evidence; authorization decides what actions are permitted.
- MFA combines factors. OTP can still be phished; some cryptographic authenticators resist it better.
- Encryption uses keys for confidentiality; hashing produces a digest; signatures support integrity and origin.
- Backup strategies require isolated recoverable copies and tested restoration.
- HTTPS is not certification of a website's business claims; incognito is not total anonymity.
- Check incoming credit in the official account; do not authorize a debit to receive money.
- Report suspected fraud or compromise promptly via verified organizational and official channels.
Sources and further reading
The explanations and 96 MCQs above are original, exam-oriented teaching material. These official sources support the concepts and provide additional reading; provider instructions for specific incidents should always be verified directly because operational procedures can change.
- CISA — Secure Our World — recognizing phishing, using strong passwords/MFA and applying updates.
- NIST — Digital Identity Guidelines, Authentication and Authenticator Management (SP 800-63B-4) — authentication, secrets and authenticators.
- NIST — Authenticator Examples — OTP, cryptographic authenticators and phishing resistance.
- CERT-In — Cyber Swachhta Kendra — malware hygiene, secure software and backups.
- RBI — BE(A)WARE: Modus Operandi of Financial Frauds — common Indian financial-fraud methods and safety advice.
- NPCI — UPI Frequently Asked Questions — UPI and PIN terminology.
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal — official reporting and reporting-channel information for India.
- NIST — Cybersecurity Framework — general Identify/Protect/Detect/Respond/Recover risk-management perspective (beyond awareness depth).