Malware in a Scenario

A scenario question gives you a short story about an organisation and asks about the attack in it. When the attack is malware — software written to harm a computer, its data or the person using it — answer in four steps, tying each point to the story, because each one can earn a mark.

The four steps

1. Identify the form of attack. Say it is malware. Calling it "bad software" is too vague to earn the mark.
2. Describe how it was used. Pick out the method from the story: an infected email attachment opened, a file downloaded from an untrusted website, a link clicked in a phishing message, a file shared in a messaging app, or malware spreading from another computer on the network.
3. Explain the purpose. Say what the attacker wanted: data stolen so it can be sold on or used to pretend to be someone else, money extorted, an organisation disrupted, or devices taken over.
4. Describe the threats. Say what harm followed: data deleted, corrupted, changed or locked; data stolen; devices slowed or stopped; financial loss; reputation damage; legal action; spread to other computers.

Purpose is why the attack was carried out; threats are the damage it leaves behind, so keep the two apart. You do not need to name a type of malware: what it did and what it caused is what scores.

Worked example

A youth theatre uses a shared laptop for ticket bookings. A volunteer opens a file sent to the theatre's group chat from an unknown account. Malware installs and changes several seat prices in the booking spreadsheet to £0, and copies an unpublished play script stored on the laptop.

• Form of attack: malware, installed without the volunteer realising.
• How it was used: a file shared through a messaging app was opened, and the malware reached the booking spreadsheet on the shared laptop.
• Purpose: to disrupt ticket sales and to take the script, perhaps to leak it or sell it on.
• Threats: seats sell for £0, so ticket income is lost; a leaked script before opening night could mean legal action from the writer and damage to the theatre's reputation.