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Year 9

Preventing cyber attacks

I can describe the effects of cyber attacks and suggest ways they can be prevented.

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New
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Year 9

Preventing cyber attacks

I can describe the effects of cyber attacks and suggest ways they can be prevented.

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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Cyber attacks can target individuals, organisations and countries.
  2. The effects of cyber attacks can be financial and disruptive.
  3. The WannaCry Ransomware Attack in 2017 affected more than 200 000 computers in 150 countries.
  4. The infection and spread of WannaCry may have been stopped by using a combination of security measures.

Keywords

  • Cyber attack - an unauthorised action that harms a computer system's privacy, reliability or access

  • Ransomware - malware that blocks access to a user's data until payment is made

Common misconception

As long as you use all security measures, a computer system connected to a network can be totally safe from cyber attack.

No computer system on a network can be completely safe, even with all security measures. Cybercriminals can find new ways to attack, so security only reduces the risk and doesn't completely eliminate it.


To help you plan your year 9 computing lesson on: Preventing cyber attacks, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Find common analogies between computer crime and more obvious examples. For example, the safest house is one with no doors or windows, but it wouldn't be very nice to live in!
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the terms with their definitions:
Correct Answer:cybersecurity,the protection of computer systems from threats
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the protection of computer systems from threats

Correct Answer:firewall,a security system that monitors and controls network communication
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a security system that monitors and controls network communication

Correct Answer:malware,malicious software designed to cause problems
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malicious software designed to cause problems

Correct Answer:virus,malware that spreads between computers
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malware that spreads between computers

Q2.
What type of malware is disguised as a harmless program to trick users into installing it?
Correct Answer: trojan
Q3.
What type of malware spreads through a network without needing user interaction and uses resources to slow it down?
Correct Answer: worm
Q4.
What is the role of bots in cybersecurity threats?
to monitor network communication
Correct answer: to automate tasks repeatedly, often maliciously
to protect computer systems
to create backups of data
Q5.
How can training users help protect a network?
it reduces the need for firewalls
it removes all malware from a system
it speeds up the network
Correct answer: it helps users understand risks and avoid them
Q6.
What is the purpose of a firewall in cybersecurity?
Correct answer: to monitor and control network communication
to remove malware from a computer
to speed up the performance of a network
to create backups of data

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the terms with their examples:
Correct Answer:DDoS,disrupts services by overwhelming them with traffic
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disrupts services by overwhelming them with traffic

Correct Answer:brute force,uses trial and error to guess passwords
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uses trial and error to guess passwords

Correct Answer:ransomware,blocks access to data until payment is made
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blocks access to data until payment is made

Q2.
What is a cyber attack?
a method to speed up a computer system
a security measure to protect computer systems
Correct answer: an unauthorised action that harms a computer system
a type of software update
Q3.
What is ransomware?
Correct answer: malware that blocks access to data until payment is made
malware that deletes files permanently
a security tool to protect data
a type of firewall
Q4.
What was the impact of the WannaCry Ransomware Attack in 2017?
it only affected a small number of computers
Correct answer: it affected more than 200 000 computers in 150 countries
it only targeted individuals
it was stopped immediately without any impact
Q5.
What is one effect of cyber attacks?
they always improve computer performance
they are only disruptive, not financial
Correct answer: they can be both financial and disruptive
they only affect individuals
Q6.
Can a computer system connected to a network be completely safe from cyber attacks if all security measures are used?
yes, all security measures guarantee complete safety
yes, but only if the system is updated regularly
yes, as long as antivirus software is installed
Correct answer: no, security measures only reduce the risk but cannot eliminate it entirely