Created by
Neal S. Alberson Jr
TOPIC: Microsoft Windows Security
GRADE LEVELS: 9-10 Grade
LESSON DURATION: 2 or 3 85 minute classes (includes wrap-up discussion and summative assessment review.
SOFT SKILLS: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communications
Learning Outcome: Students will know with high certainty how to evaluate and secure a local computer running Microsoft Windows as its operating system.
Standards of Learning:
- Verso 6302-77 Discuss how data can be compromised, corrupted, or lost.
- Verso 6302-82 – Evaluate the potential vulnerabilities, threats, and common exploits to an operating system.
- Verso 6302-84 – Describe the concept of malware & techniques to guard against it.
- Verso 6302-85 – Evaluate critical operating system security parameters
Materials: Windows 7 or 10 computer, note taking system, visual content organizer of student’s choice
Activities: Students will complete the following:
- Class will review as a group the manners in which computers and the information on them can be compromised and by whom.
- Class discussion on how a single Windows computer can have layered protection. How does layering protect against malware, viruses, data loss or corruption, etc.
- Class will review the various techniques used to hack into stand-alone computers.
- Class thoughts on the security issues in using thumb drives, CD/DVD disks, public chat rooms, WiFi packet substitutions, etc. in intrusions, data theft, virus/worm attacks, system denial, etc.
- Individual students will access the computer’s Control Panel, observe the User Account list for appropriate rights, determine the highest level of rights possible/practical for each user group. When should a user account be eliminated?
- In small groups, students will examine password parameters. For the following:
- How complex should a password be?
- How long should a password exist before it must be changed?
- Is there a minimum time between password changed?
- Is there a minimum length of a password?
- Is there a minimum complexity (caps, lowercase, numbers, special characters, etc.) for a password?
- What parameters of the computer determine the above?
- Students will got to “How Strong is My Password?” to examine the strength of their passwords.
- Select two of the programs on the computer normally used by students. Examine the properties for those programs and decide whether they are appropriate for students. These will be defended in class.
- Consider the AIC triangle (availability, integrity, confidentiality). How do the student evaluations support or deny the triangle?
- How often should virus detection be updated?
- Looking at the computer’s control panel > security; should the computer’s firewall operate on a Whitelist or Blacklist for allowed sites? What other parameters should the firewall have and why?
- How should updates for Microsoft Windows and other programs be looked for and handled?
- Students will give oral reports using worksheets displayed on classroom screen(s