AP Cybersecurity Unit 1 Cheatsheet: Introduction to Security

Definition: Psychological manipulation to trick users into revealing information, downloading malware, or clicking malicious links—via email, text, social media, or in person.

Key Tactics:

• Intimidation: Threaten negative consequences to force compliance; exploits fear of loss
• Urgency: Create time pressure; prevents careful consideration of safety
• Elicitation: Extract sensitive information through conversation

Why They Work: Rely on natural human psychology—aversion to negative outcomes and instinct to act quickly on time-sensitive needs.

Personal Information Theft:

• Name, phone, address, workplace, pet names, birthdate
• Used as answers to identity-verification challenge questions
• Leads to impersonation and account takeover

Secure Information Compromise:

• One-time passwords (OTP), authentication codes
• Allows adversary to log in as victim

Malware & Credential Capture:

• Malicious downloads install malware
• Malicious links steal browser data or redirect to credential-harvesting sites

Online Password Attack Signs:

• Many failed login attempts in short time
• Login attempts at unusual times
• Login attempts from unknown devices

Common Password Patterns Adversaries Exploit:

• Word(s) + 2-digit year + special character
• Family/pet names
• Personally significant dates

Attack Method: Adversaries build password dictionaries from personal info (birthdays, anniversaries, pet names) and use automated tools to submit candidates.

Password Best Practices:

• Long, random, unique passwords
• Avoid names, dates, personally meaningful words/numbers
• Use password manager to generate and store securely
• Or create long, unique passphrases

Multifactor Authentication (MFA):

• Requires extra proof of identity beyond password (e.g., one-time code)
• Adds critical second layer of security
• Enable whenever available