Cybersecurity – Full Notes (Prepared for Greenie ■ by Gobe ■)
■Unit 1 – Cybercrime & Information Security
Q: Define Cybercrime. Explain its classification with examples.
Cybercrime refers to illegal activities carried out using computers or the internet as a tool, target, or both.
Classification of Cybercrime:
1. Crime against Individuals:
- Examples: Cyberstalking, Harassment, Identity Theft
2. Crime against Property:
- Examples: Hacking, Data Theft, Virus Attacks
3. Crime against Government:
- Examples: Cyberterrorism, Hacking Govt Servers
4. Crime against Society:
- Examples: Spreading fake news, hate speech
Conclusion: Cybercrimes are evolving with technology. Understanding their types helps in detection and prevention.
Q: Explain the concept of Social Engineering and how criminals use it for cyberattacks.
Social Engineering is a technique where attackers manipulate people into revealing confidential information by exploiting h
Common Techniques:
1. Phishing – Fake emails/messages to steal information
2. Pretexting – Pretending to be someone in authority
3. Baiting – Offering infected free items (like USBs)
4. Tailgating – Physically entering secure areas
Conclusion: Social engineering targets the human link in cybersecurity. Awareness is the best defense.
■Unit 2 – Cybercrime in Mobile and Wireless Era
Q: What are the security challenges caused by mobile and wireless devices?
Security Challenges:
1. Data leakage due to app permissions
2. Weak authentication methods
3. Public Wi-Fi attacks (man-in-the-middle)
4. Malware and spyware apps
5. Lost/stolen devices can lead to breaches
6. Outdated software vulnerabilities
Organizations must implement strong policies to protect mobile infrastructure.
■Unit 3 – Tools and Methods Used in Cybercrime
Q: What is Phishing? Explain its types with examples.
Phishing is a cyberattack that tricks users into giving up confidential data via fake emails/websites.
Types of Phishing:
1. Email Phishing – Fake bank emails asking for login
2. Spear Phishing – Targeted emails using personal info
3. Whaling – Targets high-profile individuals (CEOs)
4. Smishing – Fake messages via SMS
5. Vishing – Voice calls asking for credentials
Conclusion: Phishing is widespread and dangerous. Awareness and verification can prevent damage.
Q: Explain SQL Injection and Buffer Overflow attacks.
SQL Injection:
- Inserting malicious SQL commands via user input fields.
- Example: Login field ' OR 1=1--
Buffer Overflow:
- Occurs when more data is written to memory than it can hold.
- Can crash systems or allow code execution.
Both are serious security risks and need input validation and patching.
■Unit 4 – Understanding Computer Forensics
Q: What is Digital Forensics? Explain its life cycle.
Digital Forensics is the process of identifying, preserving, analyzing, and presenting digital evidence.
Life Cycle:
1. Identification – Finding potential evidence
2. Preservation – Avoid tampering
3. Analysis – Deep inspection of data
4. Documentation – Record findings
5. Presentation – Legal submission
Used in solving cybercrimes and court cases.
Q: What is Chain of Custody in digital forensics?
Chain of Custody is the documentation of evidence handling from collection to court.
Steps:
1. Who collected it?
2. When and where?
3. How was it stored?
4. Who accessed it?
Maintaining this ensures the evidence is reliable and legally admissible.
■Unit 5 – Cyber Law & Security Policy
Q: What is the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023? Explain its key features.
DPDP Act, 2023 regulates how personal data is processed and protected in India.
Key Features:
1. User consent for data use
2. Data Protection Board setup
3. Heavy penalties for misuse
4. Right to access and correct data
5. Applicable to digital personal data processing
It aims to ensure privacy and protect citizens' data.
■2-Mark Questions (All Units)
Q: What is Cybercrime?
A: Any criminal activity that involves a computer, networked device or a network.
Q: Who are Cybercriminals?
A: Individuals or groups who use technology to commit malicious activities online.
Q: Define Botnet.
A: A network of infected computers controlled by a hacker.
Q: What is Phishing?
A: A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity.
Q: What is a Keylogger?
A: A tool that records keystrokes to steal passwords or personal data.
Q: Define SQL Injection.
A: A code injection technique used to attack data-driven applications.
Q: What is Digital Forensics?
A: The process of collecting and analyzing digital evidence for investigation.
