Digital Safety, Cyber Hygiene and Ethics
Domain 8: Digital Safety, Cyber Hygiene and Ethics
This domain tests safe, legal, and responsible use of digital systems. Expect scenario questions on passwords, phishing, malware, privacy, cyberbullying, plagiarism, and reporting. The best answer usually combines prevention with the correct response, not panic.
Core rules and concepts
- Use strong, unique passwords (length plus mixed characters), enable two-factor authentication, and never share OTPs or passwords. Lock screens and log out on shared machines.
- Phishing tricks you into revealing data through fake links, urgent language, or spoofed senders. Check the URL, avoid unknown attachments, and report suspicious messages.
- Malware includes viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and ransomware. Keep the OS and antivirus updated; scan downloads; back up offline. Ransomware demands payment-restoring a backup is safer.
- Cyber hygiene: clear unused accounts, review privacy settings, limit personal information, use secure Wi-Fi, and log out of public computers.
- Ethics and law: respect copyright and licences, avoid plagiarism, do not cyberbully, and do not access others’ accounts. In India, cybercrime can be reported through the national cybercrime reporting portal and helpline. Schools also have discipline and anti-bullying rules.
Worked example
Question: An email says “Your bank account will be blocked in 10 minutes; click here and enter your password.” What should you do? Reasoning: Urgency, a link, and a password request are classic phishing signs. Do not click. Verify through the bank’s official app or phone number, then report and delete the message. Entering the password would hand over credentials even if the site looks real.
Traps that cost marks
Do not forward suspicious links “to check”. Do not use the same password everywhere. Do not call downloading pirated software harmless. Do not ignore a friend’s hacked account-it may be impersonation. Do not confuse privacy with secrecy; privacy is control over personal data.