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Grade 9 Computer Science — Spotting a phishing message

Check a message against the five signs of a phishing attempt, working out for yourself whether the link in it belongs to whoever the message says it is from.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Each of these messages shows exactly one of the five signs. Match each message to the sign it shows.

    • Opens “Dear User”, from the right site, no time limit, about a bill you really do owe
    • Uses your name, about your own order, no time limit, asks for the code just sent to your phone
    • Uses your name, about your own order, links to the shop's own site, says you have until noon
    • Uses your name, no time limit, no link at all, thanks you for a payment you never made
    • Uses your name, no time limit, about a delivery you are expecting, links to a site name that is not the courier's
    • It does not use your name
    • The link goes to somebody else's site
    • It asks for a secret
    • It is about something you never did
    • It sets a deadline

  2. 2.You have ordered nothing at all. A message reads “Dear Customer, your order cannot be sent. Send us the code that has just arrived on your phone within two hours or the order is canceled.” It links to “https://orders.parcelpost.com.claim-it.net/fix”, and the courier's own site name is parcelpost.com. How many of the five signs does it show?

  3. 3.Here is a much shorter one, and you have entered no competition of any kind. It reads “Hello Friend, you have won a tablet. Reply to claim it.” There is no link in it and no time limit. How many of the five signs is that?

  4. 4.Sort each of these messages by whether it sets a deadline, which is the second of the five signs.

    Groups: Sets a deadline · Sets no deadline

    • Your account will be closed in 24 hours unless you act.
    • Here is the reading list for next term.
    • Pay by the end of the day or the charge doubles.
    • Your parcel is out for delivery today.
    • Your password was changed on Tuesday.
    • Confirm within one hour or your prize is given away.

  5. 5.A school's own site name is “oakfield-school.com”. Sort each of these links by whose site it really belongs to.

    Groups: The school's own site · Somebody else's site

    • https://library.oakfield-school.com/books
    • https://oakfield-school.net/term-dates
    • https://oakfieldschool.com/term-dates
    • https://parents.oakfield-school.com/forms
    • https://oakfield-school.com/term-dates
    • https://oakfield-school.com.sign-in.net/account

  6. 6.One of the five signs settles the matter on its own, however innocent the other four look. Which sign is it?

    • a) It is about something you never did
    • b) It sets a deadline
    • c) It asks for a secret
    • d) It does not use your name

  7. 7.A link inside a message reads “https://secure.orchard-clinic.com.verify-id.net/login”. Write the site name this link really belongs to.

  8. 8.Put these messages in order of how many of the five signs each one shows, fewest first.

    • Uses your name, right site, no time limit, about your own order, asks nothing secret
    • Opens “Dear Customer”, wrong site, one hour to act, about a prize you never entered for, asks nothing secret
    • Opens “Dear Customer”, right site, no time limit, about your own order, asks nothing secret
    • Opens “Dear Customer”, right site, one hour to act, about your own order, asks nothing secret

Answer key — Grade 9 Computer Science — Spotting a phishing message

  1. 1. Opens “Dear User”, from the right site, no time limit, about a bill you really do owe → It does not use your name; Uses your name, about your own order, no time limit, asks for the code just sent to your phone → It asks for a secret; Uses your name, about your own order, links to the shop's own site, says you have until noon → It sets a deadline; Uses your name, no time limit, no link at all, thanks you for a payment you never made → It is about something you never did; Uses your name, no time limit, about a delivery you are expecting, links to a site name that is not the courier's → The link goes to somebody else's site
  2. 2. 5
  3. 3. 2
  4. 4. Your account will be closed in 24 hours unless you act. → Sets a deadline; Your parcel is out for delivery today. → Sets no deadline; Confirm within one hour or your prize is given away. → Sets a deadline; Here is the reading list for next term. → Sets no deadline; Pay by the end of the day or the charge doubles. → Sets a deadline; Your password was changed on Tuesday. → Sets no deadline
  5. 5. https://oakfield-school.com/term-dates → The school's own site; https://oakfield-school.com.sign-in.net/account → Somebody else's site; https://parents.oakfield-school.com/forms → The school's own site; https://oakfield-school.net/term-dates → Somebody else's site; https://library.oakfield-school.com/books → The school's own site; https://oakfieldschool.com/term-dates → Somebody else's site
  6. 6. c) It asks for a secret
  7. 7. verify-id.net
  8. 8. 1. Uses your name, right site, no time limit, about your own order, asks nothing secret 2. Opens “Dear Customer”, right site, no time limit, about your own order, asks nothing secret 3. Opens “Dear Customer”, right site, one hour to act, about your own order, asks nothing secret 4. Opens “Dear Customer”, wrong site, one hour to act, about a prize you never entered for, asks nothing secret