HIPS Series > Protecting Your Computer > Quiz

The correct answers, and explanations for why we believe them to be correct, are provided here.

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1. If a personal computer lacks technical protections like protective software, which of these is/are correct?

A. It is at greater risk for email spam, spoofs and phishes.

B. It is at greater risk to have sensitive data extracted by spyware and other malicious snoop-ware.

C. It is at greater risk to have data on it corrupted or erased by malware attacks.

D. It is at greater risk to be hijacked as a vector for attacks against other computers.

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2. Of all the physical risks to which a personal computer is subject, which is the least common?

A. Theft.

B. "Environmental" mishaps (e.g., due to water, fire, lightning or other electrical surges, rough handling, etc.

C. Mechanical failure (e.g., hard drive crash).

D. These are equally common.

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3. Regarding backup copies of data, which of these is/are correct?

B. Office systems always automatically make backup copies of data, so you do not need to worry about this yourself.

C. It is generally considered safe to keep your backup copies in the same location as your computer.

D. Backup copies require security, just like the "originals" stored on the computer.

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4. Regarding passwords, which of these is/are correct?

A. Shared computer systems usually have login passwords, but this is usually not possible for personal computers.

B. When possible, a login password and a password-protected screensaver should be used for a personal computer.

C. When available, passwords should be used for software and Web sites that access sensitive data.

D. It is generally considered safe to use the "remember my password" feature whenever it is available for software and Web sites.

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5. Regarding software updates, which of these is/are critical?

A. Keeping the operating system software up to date.

B. Keeping the applications software you use up to date.

C. Keeping the anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall protective software up to date.

D. Using "automatic update" methods whenever available is the best way to keep software up to date.

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6. Regarding "protective software," which of these is/are correct?

A. There is no benefit to installing anti-virus or anti-spyware if your organization's network or your Internet Service Provider (ISP) does so.

B. As long as anti-virus/anti-spyware software is set to inspect all new files, it is not necessary to scan all the old ones periodically.

C. There is no benefit to installing anti-virus software if one already has anti-spyware, or vice-versa.

D. If a computer is used outside a protected office/organizational network, some kind of firewall capability is usually recommended.

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7. Regarding "communications security," which of these is/are correct?

A. If a computer uses Wi-Fi/Airport/802.11 that wireless connection should be configured to be secure.

B. If a computer uses Bluetooth, that wireless connection should be configured to be secure.

C. If a computer is used to access particularly sensitive data, the use of secure end-to-end communications via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) should be considered.

D. Most computer operating systems automatically secure wireless communications, so no intervention is required.

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8. What about when a computer is ready to be "retired"? Which of these is/are correct?

A. It is critical to assure that the computer is cleaned of all sensitive data before it is "recycled."

B. Deletion of all files is sufficient to clean hard drives and removable storage media.

C. Deletion and reformatting is sufficient to clean hard drives and all removable storage media.

D. Deletion, and multiple over-writing is sufficient to clean hard drives and all removable storage media.

The correct answers, and explanations for why we believe them to be correct, are provided here.

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