Phishing, social engineering, malware, ransomware, MFA, and encryption.
Grades 9-12 · CTE Information & Communications Technology
Cybersecurity
Review Lab
Use this after the lesson to review key threats, practice spotting clues, match defenses, and check your readiness independently.
Verify, slow down, protect credentials, report, update, and back up.
Classify scenarios, cite evidence, and recommend a safe response.
Review Warm-Up
New message: would you click it?
From: calendar-alerts@campus-events.net. A message says you missed a required safety training and must sign in with your school password through a shortened link before 5 p.m.
Choose a response, then compare your reasoning to the defender routine.
Defender Routine
- Who is the sender or requester?
- What action are they asking for?
- What evidence suggests risk?
- What could happen if I comply?
- What safe response should I choose?
Vocabulary Review
Threats from the lesson
Phishing
A deceptive message or site that tricks users into revealing credentials or clicking malicious links.
CluesUrgency, mismatched sender, suspicious link, credential request.
Social Engineering
Psychological manipulation using trust, fear, urgency, or authority to bypass security steps.
CluesPressure to bypass normal steps, secrecy, unusual requests.
Malware
Malicious software designed to spy, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a device or network.
CluesUnknown downloads, disabled protections, unexpected warnings.
Ransomware
A malware type that encrypts files and demands payment before restoring access.
CluesLocked files, payment demand, sudden loss of access.
Verify before you trust
Slow down urgent requests
Protect credentials
Backups
Updates
Encryption
Reporting
Independent Practice 1
Pair each threat with its strongest defense
Drag each defense card into the matching threat terminal. On a touch screen, tap a defense and then tap a threat terminal.
Phishing
Unexpected sign-in links, look-alike forms, credential requests, suspicious senders.
Drop defense here
Ransomware
Encrypted files, restore instructions from attackers, payment pressure, blocked access.
Drop defense here
Malware
Fake installers, unknown attachments, risky files, requests to disable protections.
Drop defense here
Social Engineering
Impersonation, urgency, secrecy, requests to bypass normal verification steps.
Drop defense here
Match all four defenses, then check your work.
Independent Practice 2
New Scenario Classification
Apply what you learned to new situations. For each one, classify the threat, cite evidence from the text, and choose the safest defense.
Scholarship Form
Lesson Review
Check your understanding
Key Takeaways
What to remember after the lesson
Threats target humans first
Phishing, social engineering, malware, and ransomware exploit human decisions, not only technical gaps.
Analyze before acting
Stop and ask: Who sent this? What do they want? What could go wrong? What is the safe response?
Layered defenses reduce risk
MFA, backups, updates, encryption, access controls, and reporting each cover different attack paths.
Ethics protect people
Report correctly, preserve evidence, and never forward suspicious links or expose private information.
Before You Go
Reflect on your readiness
Finish with a new reflection: identify one clue from today’s practice, choose one habit to change, and rate your understanding.
My Defender Summary
Complete the lab and exit ticket to build your summary.