Breach Scenario Analysis

Instructions

• In your group, analyze each scenario below.
• Identify the risky behavior, describe one potential impact, and propose a prevention strategy.
• Record your answers in the table provided.

Analysis Table

Group Discussion Notes

Use this space to record any additional observations, questions, or tips your group discusses:

Use this worksheet alongside the slide deck Clue-By-Clue Cyber Slides and refer to the Investigation Answers Key as needed.

Investigation Answers Key

Use this key to guide group discussions and to check student responses on the Breach Scenario Analysis Worksheet.

1. The Sneaky Screenshot

Step-by-Step Thought Process

1. Recognize the action: a private group chat was captured and shared without permission.
2. Identify what data is exposed: names, personal opinions, photos, location details, conversation context.
3. Think through misuse: other students or strangers could screenshot for gossip, bullying, or to piece together personal information for scams.
4. Formulate prevention: establish digital consent practices, adjust privacy settings, and remind friends not to share private content.

Risky Behavior Identified
Sharing a screenshot of a private conversation without consent.

Potential Impact
Exposed personal messages can lead to embarrassment, bullying, or misuse of sensitive details by third parties.

Prevention Strategy
• Always ask for permission before sharing someone else’s messages.
• Use app settings to limit who can screenshot or save content.
• Educate peers on digital consent and respect for privacy.

2. The Phishy Link

Step-by-Step Thought Process

1. Spot red flags: unexpected email from “IT Support,” urgent tone, generic greeting, and suspicious URL.
2. Consider consequences: clicking may install malware, capture keystrokes, or redirect to a fake login page to steal credentials.
3. Determine safe actions: hover over the link to inspect the URL, verify the sender’s address, and consult a trusted adult or IT administrator.

Risky Behavior Identified
Clicking on an unverified link in a phishing email.

Potential Impact
Malware infection, stolen login credentials, unauthorized access to school accounts.

Prevention Strategy
• Never click links from unknown or suspicious senders.
• Hover to check URLs and look for misspellings or extra characters.
• Contact IT support directly using a known email or phone number to confirm requests.

3. The Weak Password

Step-by-Step Thought Process

1. Analyze the password “password123”: it’s too common and follows a predictable pattern.
2. Understand how attackers guess it: dictionary attacks and brute-force tools can crack simple passwords in seconds.
3. Create guidelines for strong passwords: length (at least 12 characters), mix of uppercase/lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, avoid personal information.

Risky Behavior Identified
Using a weak, easily guessable password.

Potential Impact
Account takeover, unauthorized data access, potential wider breach if the same password is reused elsewhere.

Prevention Strategy
• Choose a passphrase or random combination of characters (e.g., “Sky7&River!Piano”).
• Use a password manager to generate and store unique passwords.
• Enable two-factor authentication for extra security.

Teacher Discussion Prompts

• Ask students: Which step in your process helped you most?
• Invite examples of strong passwords (without revealing real ones).
• Discuss how these practices apply to social media and personal devices.

Use this key to validate group answers and prompt deeper thinking about each scenario’s digital risks and safeguards.