Risks and threats: malware, ransomware, social engineering and phishing

This week’s topics

Risks and threats: malware, ransomware, social engineering and phishing

1. Risks and threats: malware, ransomware, social engineering and phishing, exploitation of vulnerabilities
2. Internal vs. external risks
3. The CIA triad, authorisation and non-repudiation

What you will be able to do

• 2.1 Describe the common types of information security threats for modern computing systems.
• 2.2 Explain the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA Triad) framework and its meaning in the context of information security.

Activity

Start with this week’s 4 videos, then: Seminar, guided reading and a short written task: describe the common types of information security threats for modern computing systems.

Study materials

Videos

• Malware: malicious software · Oak National Academy, Key Stage 4 (GCSE level) · for registered students
• Social engineering techniques · Oak National Academy, Key Stage 4 (GCSE level) · for registered students
• Threats to networks · Oak National Academy, Key Stage 4 (GCSE level) · for registered students
• Cybersecurity Essentials 2: Phishing, Vishing and Social Engineering · YouTube · Cycubix LTD · 7 min · for registered students

Further resources

• Foundations of Information Systems, 5.1: Types of Network Threats · PDF · OpenStax Foundations of Information Systems (2025), 5.1 on external, environmental and internal threats (sabotage, theft, disasters), pp. 165–167 · for registered students
• NIST SP 800-12r1, ch. 4: Threats and Vulnerabilities · PDF · NIST SP 800-12 Rev. 1 (2017), ch. 4: errors, fraud, employee sabotage, physical threats and malicious code, pp. 20–25 · for registered students
• NIST SP 800-83r1, section 2: Understanding Malware Threats · PDF · NIST SP 800-83 Rev. 1 (2013), section 2: viruses, worms, trojans and other malware (a step up), pp. 2–5 · for registered students
• NCSC: Phishing attacks – defending your organisation · PDF · UK NCSC, how phishing and social engineering work and layered defences; 9 pp. · for registered students
• The rise of crypto-ransomware in a changing cybercrime landscape: taxonomising countermea… · Open-access article · Connolly & Wall (2019), Computers & Security. How crypto-ransomware works and the countermeasures against it. · for registered students
• On the anatomy of social engineering attacks: a literature-based dissection of successful… · Open-access article · Bullée et al. (2018), Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling. Dissects 74 real social engineering attacks and the techniques used. · for registered students