Make It Happen: Fourth level

Know

• MIH-4-CY-K1

  An organisation can employ a security tester to target particular parts of a system and report the weaknesses found.

  Learn card: The security tester's job

  Organisations can employ a security tester to target particular parts of their systems, such as a website, a network or an app. The agreement says exactly what is in scope and what is not.

  At the end the tester writes a report for the client: what they tested, what they found, how serious each weakness is, and what should be done to fix it.

  A good report is clear enough for managers to act on, and detailed enough for the technical team to fix the problems.

  What does a security tester give the organisation at the end?

  A bill for any damage A report of the weaknesses found and how to fix them The organisation's passwords Nothing

  Why does the organisation say which parts of the system to test?

  To make the test harder So the tester knows exactly what they are allowed to target To hide problems It doesn't

  Check my answers
• MIH-4-CY-K2

  Operating systems run on many devices, including phones, cars, supercomputers, home appliances and desktops, and manage the hardware, software and apps.

  Learn card: Operating systems everywhere

  An operating system (OS) is the main software that runs a device. It manages the hardware (processor, memory, storage, screen), runs apps, looks after files and controls who can log in.

  Operating systems aren't only on computers. Phones, cars, smart TVs, home appliances, games consoles and supercomputers all have one.

  Because every app depends on it, a weakness in the operating system can put the whole device at risk. That's why OS security updates matter so much.

  What does an operating system do?

  Only plays videos Manages the hardware, software and apps on a device Connects to the internet only Stores photos

  Which of these devices uses an operating system?

  A smartphone A modern car A smart fridge All of these

  Check my answers
• MIH-4-CY-K3

  A command line lets a user control a computer by typing commands instead of clicking.

  Learn card: The command line

  A command line (also called a terminal, shell or command prompt) lets you control a computer by typing commands instead of clicking.

  Commands can list files, move between folders, copy and rename files, run programs and show information about the system. One command can do a job to many files at once, and commands can be saved in scripts to run again.

  IT staff and security testers use it every day, especially on servers, which often have no screen or mouse at all.

  How do you control a computer with a command line?

  By clicking icons By typing commands By speaking By shaking it

  Why do security and IT professionals often use the command line?

  It looks impressive It can be quicker, and it can repeat or automate tasks Mice are not allowed It has more colours

  Check my answers

Do

• MIH-4-CY-D1

  Show that a security test agreement has been followed and present the information gathered to the client.

  Engagement

• MIH-4-CY-D2

  Research cases where independent ethical hackers have exposed weaknesses in large tech companies' systems.

  Research Brief

  Foundations: FND-DW-2-4

• MIH-4-CY-D3

  Use the command line, in an operating system or a simulation, for file management or to gather system information.

  Terminal

  Builds on: DRW-3 Computing Science: hierarchical structures, paths and identifiers (p.24)

  Foundations: FND-DW-2-2

Includes and notes

• Includes: Basic command-line tasks: listing files and folders, moving between folders, creating, copying and renaming files and folders, running programs and scripts.

Reflect