Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities - Word Drop

Each prevention method works in a different way. ______ means authorised experts attack a system to find its weaknesses so that they can be fixed. ______ software checks a computer for malicious programs, blocks them from running and removes any it finds. A ______ monitors all the traffic entering and leaving a network and blocks whatever its rules do not allow. ______ scrambles data so that it cannot be read without the correct key.

A ______ is a secret string of characters that proves who is logging in. ______ control which files and systems each person is allowed to reach. ______ protects the hardware itself, using locks, key cards and CCTV. A ______ is a weakness in a system that an attacker could use, such as out-of-date software or an unlocked server room. No single prevention method stops every attack, so organisations use several together.

To limit the threats they face, organisations match suitable methods to each attack. Accounts are locked after a few failed attempts to stop a ______ attack, which tries every possible character combination. A ______ message tricks a user into giving away login details, so firms limit what each account can reach.