Quiz on Phishing Emails

A phishing email is one which:

• requests a payment for goods you have not received

• offers you products in which you may have no interest

• encourages you to click on a link to a fraudulent website

• contains abusive and threatening language

Answer explanation

A phishing email is one that encourages you to click on a link to a fraudulent website, leading to potential scams or data theft.

If you receive an email from a well-known company, but its name is misspelt in the sender’s address, you should:

• click on the link in the email to check if it’s genuine

• reply, pointing out the error

• report it as a possible phishing scam

• forward the email to a friend to check

Answer explanation

If you receive an email from a well-known company with a misspelt sender's address, you should report it as a possible phishing scam to avoid falling for a fraudulent attempt.

A fraudulent email which is trying to obtain your username and password for a particular site will typically:

• have a heading with a logo which appears genuine

• address you by name

• offer large sums of money

• appear to come from a friend

Answer explanation

A fraudulent email typically has a heading with a logo that appears genuine, making it seem legitimate to deceive the recipient into providing their username and password.

Match the following actions with their outcomes:

• seeing the URL without visiting the site

• pointing to the link without clicking

• risking visiting a malicious site

• deleting the email

• removing the potential threat

• clicking on the link

• potentially exposing yourself to phishing

• replying to the email

Answer explanation

You can tell whether a link in an email will take you to a genuine website by pointing to the link without clicking to avoid any potential risks.

Hacking is illegal under:

• The Data Protection Act

• The Computer Misuse Act

• Copyright Law

• Health and Safety Law

Answer explanation

Hacking is illegal under The Computer Misuse Act.

You receive a desperate plea for help from a friend who says they are stuck overseas and all their money has been stolen. You should:

• reply to the email

• delete the email

• send some money

• forward the email to a mutual friend

Answer explanation

The correct choice is to delete the email. This is likely a scam known as the 'stranded traveler scam' where scammers pretend to be in trouble overseas to get money from you.

Gaining unauthorised access to someone else’s computer files is known as (a)  

• copyright infringement
• hacking
• virus attack
• data theft

Answer explanation

Gaining unauthorized access to someone else’s computer files is known as hacking.

You can protect yourself against spam or fraudulent emails by:

• using a spam filter

• never clicking on links that you are suspicious of

• being aware of different types of fraudulent email

• all of the above

Answer explanation

To protect yourself against spam or fraudulent emails, you should use a spam filter, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and be aware of different types of fraudulent emails. Therefore, the correct answer is 'all of the above'.

Under the Computer Misuse Act, it is illegal to:

• look at someone else's computer files without permission

• look at someone else's computer files without permission with intent to commit further criminal offences

• change data on someone else's computer files without permission

• all of the above

Answer explanation

Under the Computer Misuse Act, it is illegal to look at someone else's computer files without permission, look at someone else's computer files without permission with intent to commit further criminal offences, and change data on someone else's computer files without permission, so the correct answer is 'all of the above'.

Hackers:

• will destroy your computer hardware

• are rarely able to steal personal data

• sometimes steal passwords so they can access your online account

• can only steal one password at a time

Answer explanation

Hackers sometimes steal passwords so they can access your online account, making this the correct choice.