Cyber Safety, Ethics and Digital Citizenship
What the examiner tests
Recognising online threats, choosing safe practices, and knowing basic legal and ethical positions. Questions are scenario-based.
Core rules
- Malware types: virus (attaches to files), worm (self-replicates across networks), Trojan (disguised as useful software), ransomware (encrypts files and demands payment), spyware/keylogger (secretly records activity), adware.
- Phishing uses fake emails or sites to steal credentials; vishing uses phone calls; smishing uses SMS. Social engineering manipulates people rather than machines.
- Protection: strong unique passwords or a passphrase, two-factor authentication, timely updates, antivirus and firewall, HTTPS on sites where you enter data, backups, and a locked screen.
- Ethics and law: do not copy software without a licence (piracy), do not plagiarise, respect copyright and Creative Commons terms, follow netiquette (no shouting in capitals, no personal attacks), and remember that your digital footprint is permanent.
- In India, the Information Technology Act, 2000 covers cyber offences; financial cyber fraud can be reported on the national helpline 1930 and at cybercrime.gov.in.
Worked example
You receive a call: “I am from your bank. Confirm the OTP we just sent to reverse a wrong debit.” The correct response is to disconnect without sharing the OTP, then call the bank’s official number. No genuine bank asks for an OTP, PIN or CVV. An OTP is a second factor; sharing it defeats the security entirely. If money was already lost, report to 1930 immediately.
Traps
- Believing a padlock or “https” proves a site is honest - it only proves the connection is encrypted.
- Reusing one password everywhere.
- Treating forwarded messaging-app content as verified news.
- Thinking antivirus alone is enough; patching and caution matter as much.
- Posting personal details that later affect school or job applications.