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Information Security (InfoSec)

Content by Qstream

Information security, or Infosec, protects sensitive information from unauthorized activities. This includes recording, inspection, destruction, or modification. Infosec’s goal is to ensure the privacy and safety of vital data such as customer financial data, intellectual property, or account details. Learn about best practices for information security with this starter Qstream microlearning course.

Launch To My Team

Category: Compliance Safety and Risk Management

Industry: Technology

Questions: 15

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Information Security (InfoSec)

Navigate through the Qstream questions below to preview. Each challenge is designed following Qstream’s best practices for maximum knowledge reinforcement and engagement. This Qstream is free for clients to use as a starting point.

Click on each title to preview the question in the mobile/desktop widget.

1. Malicious Insiders >
2. Potential Insider Threats >
3. Attackers Access to PPI >
4. Password Habits >
5. Why do attackers compromise accounts? >
6. Know Your Organization >
7. Recognize a potential email threat >
8. Recognize Scams >
9. How does a business email get compromised? >
10. Define Types of Crimes >
11. Things You Can Do >
12. Malicious Attack Examples >
13. Identify Malicious Behavior >
14. Things You Can Do >
15. Identify Types of Crimes >

Follow the interactions on each screen to answer Qstream questions as a Participant.

A malicious insider may attack an organization due to ____________ motivators?

Answer explanation:
Malicious insiders are often motivated to attack an organization for many reasons.

• Political insiders decide to abuse company resources to make a political statement or embarrass someone.
• Revenge insiders feel an individual or company has wronged them in some way. They want to do something that will hurt that company or individual.
• Greed insiders decide to abuse their access to company resources for their own gain. They steal money, intellectual property or assets from the organization.

Desperation insiders commit fraud, theft or sabotage by targeting their vulnerability while experiencing certain life events such as:
• Personal bankruptcy
• Expensive health problem
• Personal tragedy
• Vulnerability to blackmail
• Addiction

Which of the following is considered a potential insider threat?

Answer explanation:
Anyone is considered a potential insider threat that has access to your company’s network, systems, or data. This includes anyone that has approved current or expired access. This is also anyone who purposely abuses their authorized access for their own gain or to cause harm to others.

Take a moment to think about the applications you use to communicate with other employees within your organization. Do you discuss work with others over coffee or when traveling? Are you and your colleagues use social media to post or share company news or product information?

To gain access to your personal information, an attacker may use which of the following applications?

Answer explanation:
Often attackers conduct research through social media, organizations’ websites, news items, and more to find a trusted person within an organization to compromise their credentials. Be aware of information that you may be posting to social media or on instant messaging as you may be providing sensitive information unintentionally.

Andrea has used the same password for all her accounts for years. Each time she receives a message from the IT department to update her password, she only changes the last number because it’s easier for her to remember.

What can Andrea do in the future to prevent a potential account compromise?

Answer explanation:
Attackers can guess weak passwords and take advantage of reused passwords. Imagine your reused password was exposed in an unreported data breach on a site. Attackers can use the password to access your other accounts or make requests through some of your instant messaging applications.

Remember to change passwords often. Do not recycle them. Use a strong and unique password for all your accounts.

As a result of gaining your log-on credentials, an attacker may phish everyone in your records database.

How does an attacker benefit from compromising an account?

Answer explanation:
Attackers target and compromise a person’s account who is usually a trusted individual such as a manager, familiar vendor, attorney, or CEO. The attackers commonly compromise accounts to steal money and sensitive data.

John receives an email from Jack the Vice President of Human Resources. Usually, requests are submitted through a SharePoint work queue for the monthly employee compensation report.

Today it was received by direct email and is marked urgent, and Jack is out of the office on vacation.

What can John do to prevent a potential email attack?

Answer explanation:
It is a best practice not to accept a request without verifying it first. Any account such as a business email can be compromised. When an account has been compromised, someone is accessing the account without authorization.

Ask yourself the following questions:
• Who typically asks for payments or sensitive data?
• Are the requests usually urgent?
• Who usually handles relationships with vendors?
• Who is permitted to access sensitive data?

Be aware of common scams that often include a request from someone in a higher-level position that would usually ask for sensitive information without causing alarm or suspicion.

Sean is a newly hired accountant. He has just received an email request from his manager to wire funds to one of their preferred vendors who is stating they have not received their monthly payment. The email is marked urgent. Sean clicks the document link in the email to obtain the payment instructions.

What can Sean do to prevent a business email compromise in the future?

Answer explanation:
Attackers send emails that are designed to trick you into revealing sensitive personal information, download dangerous attachments, or click malicious links so they can access your log-on credentials. This is called Phishing. Attackers commonly compromise an email account as a way to steal money or sensitive data. Be aware of common scams which usually include a request for a wire transfer or sensitive information.

Jake works as an administrative assistant to the Head of Accounting. He receives an email from his manager stating an urgent wire transfer needs to be made to complete the recent acquisition of Money Counters Accounting. The email states to process the transfer quickly and to not share any of the details in fear that the news may leak to social media or the news network. Jake processes the money wire quickly and sends a quick text to the manager. He then states this is fraud and he did not authorize any wire transfer.

What are warning signs Jake should look out for in the future to prevent potential scams?

Answer explanation:
This email was a well-researched scam that came from Jake’s manager and their account was compromised. The decision to wire transfer money can cost a company a lot of money.
Wire transfer fraud is one of the most common reasons attackers compromise management email accounts.

If your email account is compromised, you likely will not know right away. It is often hard to detect if others have been compromised. When email requests for data or money wires come from a legitimate account, it’s easy to assume they’re safe. Be aware of some of the early warning signs of a potential scam.

What potential step(s) will an attacker take to gain access to email log-on credentials or sensitive information?

Answer explanation:
Attackers are savvy, they take advantage of public information published on social media, news publications, and company websites to locate trusted employees’ names and contact information within an organization. Validate requests by contacting the sender through an alternate communication method. Do not click on unknown links within the body of an email. Attackers use these links to phish for additional sensitive information and log-on credentials. Remember to change your passwords often, and avoid giving hackers potential keys to your accounts.

Malicious insiders may commit ___________ crime(s) against an organization.

Answer explanation:
Malicious insiders may commit the following types of crimes against an organization:

• IT Sabotage uses Information Technology (IT) to harm an organization or individual
• Theft of intellectual property from the organization that includes confidential information, trade secret and other valuable data
• Unauthorized modification, addition, or deletion of data that includes theft of information to commit identity theft

Amy leaves with colleagues to take a lunch break. Tim a newly hired employee states he is waiting on the help desk to call him back and he is locked out of her computer. Amy offers for Tim to use her computer while she is away until the help desk calls him back. While Amy is away, Tim sends several sensitive files to his personal home email and makes copies of Amy’s reports.

What can Amy do in the future to prevent malicious insider threats?

Answer explanation:
Remember to safeguard your identity. Never share credentials, ID badges, or other items that could give a malicious insider access to restricted information or areas.

If something does happen, an audit trail will trace back to you, not the perpetrator.

Daniel was overseeing a technology project and was terminated. He reaches out to a colleague to use her log-on credentials so that he can access some of the former project files. Daniel intends on selling the information to a competitor to make a profit. After extracting the files, he decides to delete them as he is upset about the termination.

How can you help prevent these types of crimes?

Answer explanation:
Do not share passwords, ID badges, or any other credentials with anyone inside or outside the company. If someone commits a crime while using your secure information you may also be held responsible resulting in possible termination, fines, and possible jail time.

People steal information in many ways. Keep valuable information secure, whether that information is found in physical documents or computer files.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions if someone asks for data that they don’t usually need. Always follow your company’s data protection policies.

What are key behaviors that a malicious insider may demonstrate when committing a crime?

Answer explanation:
Look out for insiders demonstrating behavior that seem off or outside of usual routines or policies such as:
• Requests for data or access to files that they do not apply to their job or role
• Working outside of their usual schedule or standard office hours
• Sudden mood swings for example someone who is usually grumpy and is now happy, smiling, and joyful
• Downloading, printing, or copying large amounts of data

Alan has noticed that his new colleague Roy seems to take a sudden interest in looking over his shoulder each time he logs on to demonstrate features of a new system product. The information has only been released to a few employees as the product is pending copyright approval.

What can Alan do to prevent a potential malicious insider attack?

Answer explanation:
Remember to safeguard your identity by never sharing passwords or log-on information. If something seems abnormal stop and think about the consequences or what could potentially happen.

If you notice something unusual report the suspicious behavior.

Martina has been working late hours to collect as much information as possible on a new product soon to be released to the public. She knows this information is valuable and plans on selling the information to a competitor.

Martina’s intentions are considered to be a potential insider crime. What type of crime has occurred?

Answer explanation:
Theft of intellectual property from the organization that includes confidential information, trade secret, and other valuable data is considered to be a malicious insider crime.

A malicious insider may attack an organization due to ____________ motivators?

Answer explanation:
Malicious insiders are often motivated to attack an organization for many reasons.

• Political insiders decide to abuse company resources to make a political statement or embarrass someone.
• Revenge insiders feel an individual or company has wronged them in some way. They want to do something that will hurt that company or individual.
• Greed insiders decide to abuse their access to company resources for their own gain. They steal money, intellectual property or assets from the organization.

Desperation insiders commit fraud, theft or sabotage by targeting their vulnerability while experiencing certain life events such as:
• Personal bankruptcy
• Expensive health problem
• Personal tragedy
• Vulnerability to blackmail
• Addiction

Which of the following is considered a potential insider threat?

Answer explanation:
Anyone is considered a potential insider threat that has access to your company’s network, systems, or data. This includes anyone that has approved current or expired access. This is also anyone who purposely abuses their authorized access for their own gain or to cause harm to others.

Take a moment to think about the applications you use to communicate with other employees within your organization. Do you discuss work with others over coffee or when traveling? Are you and your colleagues use social media to post or share company news or product information?

To gain access to your personal information, an attacker may use which of the following applications?

Answer explanation:
Often attackers conduct research through social media, organizations’ websites, news items, and more to find a trusted person within an organization to compromise their credentials. Be aware of information that you may be posting to social media or on instant messaging as you may be providing sensitive information unintentionally.

Andrea has used the same password for all her accounts for years. Each time she receives a message from the IT department to update her password, she only changes the last number because it’s easier for her to remember.

What can Andrea do in the future to prevent a potential account compromise?

Answer explanation:
Attackers can guess weak passwords and take advantage of reused passwords. Imagine your reused password was exposed in an unreported data breach on a site. Attackers can use the password to access your other accounts or make requests through some of your instant messaging applications.

Remember to change passwords often. Do not recycle them. Use a strong and unique password for all your accounts.

As a result of gaining your log-on credentials, an attacker may phish everyone in your records database.

How does an attacker benefit from compromising an account?

Answer explanation:
Attackers target and compromise a person’s account who is usually a trusted individual such as a manager, familiar vendor, attorney, or CEO. The attackers commonly compromise accounts to steal money and sensitive data.

John receives an email from Jack the Vice President of Human Resources. Usually, requests are submitted through a SharePoint work queue for the monthly employee compensation report.

Today it was received by direct email and is marked urgent, and Jack is out of the office on vacation.

What can John do to prevent a potential email attack?

Answer explanation:
It is a best practice not to accept a request without verifying it first. Any account such as a business email can be compromised. When an account has been compromised, someone is accessing the account without authorization.

Ask yourself the following questions:
• Who typically asks for payments or sensitive data?
• Are the requests usually urgent?
• Who usually handles relationships with vendors?
• Who is permitted to access sensitive data?

Be aware of common scams that often include a request from someone in a higher-level position that would usually ask for sensitive information without causing alarm or suspicion.

Sean is a newly hired accountant. He has just received an email request from his manager to wire funds to one of their preferred vendors who is stating they have not received their monthly payment. The email is marked urgent. Sean clicks the document link in the email to obtain the payment instructions.

What can Sean do to prevent a business email compromise in the future?

Answer explanation:
Attackers send emails that are designed to trick you into revealing sensitive personal information, download dangerous attachments, or click malicious links so they can access your log-on credentials. This is called Phishing. Attackers commonly compromise an email account as a way to steal money or sensitive data. Be aware of common scams which usually include a request for a wire transfer or sensitive information.

Jake works as an administrative assistant to the Head of Accounting. He receives an email from his manager stating an urgent wire transfer needs to be made to complete the recent acquisition of Money Counters Accounting. The email states to process the transfer quickly and to not share any of the details in fear that the news may leak to social media or the news network. Jake processes the money wire quickly and sends a quick text to the manager. He then states this is fraud and he did not authorize any wire transfer.

What are warning signs Jake should look out for in the future to prevent potential scams?

Answer explanation:
This email was a well-researched scam that came from Jake’s manager and their account was compromised. The decision to wire transfer money can cost a company a lot of money.
Wire transfer fraud is one of the most common reasons attackers compromise management email accounts.

If your email account is compromised, you likely will not know right away. It is often hard to detect if others have been compromised. When email requests for data or money wires come from a legitimate account, it’s easy to assume they’re safe. Be aware of some of the early warning signs of a potential scam.

What potential step(s) will an attacker take to gain access to email log-on credentials or sensitive information?

Answer explanation:
Attackers are savvy, they take advantage of public information published on social media, news publications, and company websites to locate trusted employees’ names and contact information within an organization. Validate requests by contacting the sender through an alternate communication method. Do not click on unknown links within the body of an email. Attackers use these links to phish for additional sensitive information and log-on credentials. Remember to change your passwords often, and avoid giving hackers potential keys to your accounts.

Malicious insiders may commit ___________ crime(s) against an organization.

Answer explanation:
Malicious insiders may commit the following types of crimes against an organization:

• IT Sabotage uses Information Technology (IT) to harm an organization or individual
• Theft of intellectual property from the organization that includes confidential information, trade secret and other valuable data
• Unauthorized modification, addition, or deletion of data that includes theft of information to commit identity theft

Amy leaves with colleagues to take a lunch break. Tim a newly hired employee states he is waiting on the help desk to call him back and he is locked out of her computer. Amy offers for Tim to use her computer while she is away until the help desk calls him back. While Amy is away, Tim sends several sensitive files to his personal home email and makes copies of Amy’s reports.

What can Amy do in the future to prevent malicious insider threats?

Answer explanation:
Remember to safeguard your identity. Never share credentials, ID badges, or other items that could give a malicious insider access to restricted information or areas.

If something does happen, an audit trail will trace back to you, not the perpetrator.

Daniel was overseeing a technology project and was terminated. He reaches out to a colleague to use her log-on credentials so that he can access some of the former project files. Daniel intends on selling the information to a competitor to make a profit. After extracting the files, he decides to delete them as he is upset about the termination.

How can you help prevent these types of crimes?

Answer explanation:
Do not share passwords, ID badges, or any other credentials with anyone inside or outside the company. If someone commits a crime while using your secure information you may also be held responsible resulting in possible termination, fines, and possible jail time.

People steal information in many ways. Keep valuable information secure, whether that information is found in physical documents or computer files.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions if someone asks for data that they don’t usually need. Always follow your company’s data protection policies.

What are key behaviors that a malicious insider may demonstrate when committing a crime?

Answer explanation:
Look out for insiders demonstrating behavior that seem off or outside of usual routines or policies such as:
• Requests for data or access to files that they do not apply to their job or role
• Working outside of their usual schedule or standard office hours
• Sudden mood swings for example someone who is usually grumpy and is now happy, smiling, and joyful
• Downloading, printing, or copying large amounts of data

Alan has noticed that his new colleague Roy seems to take a sudden interest in looking over his shoulder each time he logs on to demonstrate features of a new system product. The information has only been released to a few employees as the product is pending copyright approval.

What can Alan do to prevent a potential malicious insider attack?

Answer explanation:
Remember to safeguard your identity by never sharing passwords or log-on information. If something seems abnormal stop and think about the consequences or what could potentially happen.

If you notice something unusual report the suspicious behavior.

Martina has been working late hours to collect as much information as possible on a new product soon to be released to the public. She knows this information is valuable and plans on selling the information to a competitor.

Martina’s intentions are considered to be a potential insider crime. What type of crime has occurred?

Answer explanation:
Theft of intellectual property from the organization that includes confidential information, trade secret, and other valuable data is considered to be a malicious insider crime.

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