How Much Do You Know About IT Security?

1. It’s okay to share passwords with:

a. Your boss
b. Human Resources
c. Your coworker
d. None of the above

2. Confidential business information should not be placed in email, instant messaging (IM), or text messages, because they may not be secure.
a. True
b. False

3. Which of the following is a strong password? (Check all that apply.)
a. Password1
b. R9wY0urGr6yB8@t$
c. Your pet’s name
d. 24681000007
e. The first letters of each word in a saying, phrase, or sentence that is easy for you to remember.

4. If you see a pop-up message like this (at right) telling you that your PC is infected with spyware when you’re on the web, you should:
a. Click OK to decide whether it’s a legitimate offer.
b. Click Cancel.

5. Using a public Wi-Fi network (such as in a café or hotel) is okay for sending confidential business data, if you are assigned a password.
a. True
b. False

Answers:

1. None of the above. Passwords should be chosen with as much care as the information they protect.

2. True. Avoid putting confidential information in an email, which is not usually secure.

3. Correct:
b. R9wY0urGr6yB8@t$ uses words (RowYourGray Boats) that may not make sense grammatically, but mean something to the person who made up the password. Also, the password is long and mixes capital and lowercase letter, numbers, and symbols.
e. The first letters of each word in a sentence that’s memorable to you. If it’s easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess, such as from a favorite poem or saying.

Incorrect:
a. Password1: Never use ‘Password’ in your password. It is the most common business password and is the easiest for criminals to test.
c. A pet’s name
d. 24681000007: Do not use sequences of numbers.

4. (d) Anything you can click—even the Windows Close button (X) can be reprogrammed for malicious purposes.

5. False. It is safer to assume that public wireless connections are not secure, so do not enter any sensitive information or download any software.

Quiz from Microsoft