This unit discusses basic concepts in IT security including: application security, common hacking techniques, and anti-virus software.
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Core Training Activities
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Vocabulary Builder Activity
Students will learn the following key terms and phrases:
Backdoor
Black hat
Bypass
Cryptography
Denial of service attack
Grey hat
Intention
Keylogger
Malicious
Malware
Obfuscate
One-time password
Open Authentication
Penetration test
Pop-up blocker
Public and private keys
Rootkit
Security policy
Session identifier
Social engineering
Spyware
Surveillance
Vigilant
Vulnerability
White hat
Improve your reading comprehension and vocabulary in context with our interactive reader.
Scene: a security discussion between two employees at a company
Nigel:
Hello Mia, thanks for coming. I wanted to talk to you about the new security policy we’re drafting for the office.
Mia:
Sure — I just read the draft. It looks good, but some parts were a bit technical. For starters, can you explain why we need both public and private keys for our authentication system?
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Multiple Choice Activity
Students will be able to select the best match between unit terms and their definitions.
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Listening Comprehension Activity
Students will be able to listen to short audio clips in English and then spell them correctly.
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Spelling and Recognition
Students will be able to identify and spell a vocabulary term correctly given only the definition.
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Speaking Practice Activity
Master your pronunciation by recording yourself and receiving feedback from native-speaking teachers.
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Before the criminal-minded programmer quit his job at the bank, he programmed a backdoor into the server so he could later install a ransomware virus.
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White hat hackers always get permission before they start cracking systems, and always report security holes they find along the way.
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The company newsletter encouraged all employees to remain vigilant and to report all suspicious behavior.
... and more sentences to practice.
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Writing Practice Activity
Improve your formal and informal writing skills with guided essay questions and professional correction.
- Why is it important for companies to use both technical defenses (like cryptography and penetration tests) and human training (like social engineering awareness) to stay secure?
- Do you think grey hat hackers should be punished by law, or rewarded with money when they discover and report vulnerabilities? Why?
