LSB1 Self-Study Lesson 1

This week you’ll be studying at home. You will receive four self-study lessons designed to help
you learn on your own.
Lesson no 1 - you will read a text about hacking and its effects on all of us.

Hacking has become a well-known topic all over the world. News on different criminal cyber
events have started to make people pay more attention to it.

A group of Georgian hackers has stolen usernames, password combinations and millions of e-
mail addresses. A security firm in Tennessee discovered significant hacks including millions of
records from Adobe System. The firm hasn’t revealed the names of the victims which remain
vulnerable because they signed a confidentiality agreement. In March, hackers in Europe stole
50 million credit card numbers and 70 million addresses, phone numbers and additional pieces
of personal information. So far, the criminals haven’t sold many of the records online. They used
the stolen information to send spam on social networks like Twitter. While credit cards can be
easily cancelled, personal credentials like an email address, Social Security numbers or
password can be used as identity theft.

Belgian authorities have arrested a well-known cyber-criminal, but the police haven’t revealed
his real name yet. He stole millions of dollars from 32 bank accounts around Europe in one
night. By using manipulated credit cards, this hacker stole over 35 million pounds. The
authorities hadn’t found him until august this year when the Canadian police gave information
about the criminal’s location. He had been in a hotel when he received an e-mail that the
authorities had detected him thanks to the hotel’s wi-fi service.

One important case of hacking is the one that involves iPhones. Apple has developed the
application “Find my iPhone” for its users to locate their smartphones if they have been lost or
stolen. This application allows the user to lock the phone until it is recovered. Hackers haven’t
used this application to find a phone but to ‘take them prisoners’ in exchange for money.
They’ve hacked the accounts in iCloud to lock the phones and they sent a message to the users
requesting for money in order to unlock it. If they don’t pay the rescue, they can forget about
their phones. Apple’s official website has confirmed the news and advised their clients to update
their personal account. Recently, engineers have discovered a security failure in the system and
have now managed to fix it.

Recently, in Bolivia many famous people have become involved in a scandal. A well-known
group of hackers has published some of the celebrities’ private photographs on Facebook and
has blackmailed them into publishing more. All the stars affected by this situation have
presented relevant proof against this virtual criminal group. They have manipulated the

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LSB1 Self-Study Lesson 1

celebrities’ personal computers and smart phones. The investigation has not finished yet but if
the evidence shows that they are guilty, they will most definitely go to jail.

Exercise 1
Read the text:

What is the text about?

 Cyber-crime
 Learning how to hack
 Most popular hackers

Write a suitable title for each of the paragraphs.

a) The group who hack million of accounts

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b) A cyber criminal who stole a lot of money
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c) The hacking Iphones
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d) Famous people who got hacked
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 2

Answer the following questions writing full answers:

a) Which information have the Georgian hackers taken?

They have stolen usernames ,combinations and a lot of money .
………………………………………………………………………
b) What has happened to Adobe system?
The firm doesn’t revealed the name of the victims which remain vulnerable.
………………………………………………………………………
c) How has the famous hacker operated (2nd story)?
He stoles million of dollars from 32 bank accounts around the Europe in one
night .………………………………………………………………………
d) How did the police catch the famous hacker?
They catch him when the C anadian police gave information.
………………………………………………………………………
e) How did hackers kidnap people’s iPhones?

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LSB1 Self-Study Lesson 1

Hackers haven’t used this app to find a phone but to take them prisoners in
exchange for money.
………………………………………………………………………
f) What has Apple recommended phone users to do?
Their advice to update their personal
account………………………………………………………………………
g) Where did they post the photos of all the celebrities hacked?
On Facebook.………………………………………………………………………
h) How did they get the photos?
They have manipulated the celebrities personal computer and smart phone.
…………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 3
Find the words in the text that match the definitions below:

I. a contract between two or more people/companies where the subject of

the agreement is a promise that information discussed will be kept secret
- a confidentiality agreement
II. personal information that can be stolen
- personal credentials
III. a person or organization having political or administrative power and control
- authorities
IV. discover or identify the presence or existence of something or somebody
- detect
V. politely or formally ask for something
- request
VI. an act of saving or being saved from danger or difficulty
- rescue
VII. demanding money or another benefit from (someone) in return for not revealing
compromising or damaging information about them
- blackmail
VIII. A virtual criminal (find two synonyms)
- hacker

Exercise 4
Complete the sentences with the words above and make sure they have the correct form:
a. I always make sure my personal credentials are well-protected from cyber-criminals.
b. The test is used to detect the presence of alcohol in the blood.
c. Nowadays, virtual criminals have become more popular than ordinary thieves.
d. The company required that candidates for high-level positions agree to sign
confidentiality agreement before being hired.
e. His secret financial activities made him vulnerable to blackmail
f. A fire fighter bravely rescued a man about to drown in the river.
g. Health authorities issued a worldwide alert about the new virus.

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LSB1 Self-Study Lesson 1

h. We requested that the next meeting be held on a Friday.

Exercise 5
Write a story about what you would do if you were a hacker. Make sure you use all the words
above.
After you finish, post a picture or a screenshot of it on Edmodo.

If I would be a hacker first I will do a band because I don’t want to

do all the stuff, there is a lot.
The second thing that I need to do is to choose some good
hackers because I don’t want the authorities to find out. My friend
always request me some amazing virtual hackers. Also I need
some very good computers to do the work. I don’t want to have
any problems so that’s why we have to be patient.
It’s very hard also to find a password from an account but if we
are work in a team we can do it.
I need to choose for everybody a work like :
-detective
-the computer man
-surveillance
- boss { who of course is me }

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LSB1 Self-Study Lesson 1

Answer Key:

Exercise 1
a. cyber crime

Exercise 3
I. A confidentiality agreement
II. Personal credentials
III. Authorities
IV. Detect
V. Request
VI. Rescue
VII. Blackmail
VIII. Cyber criminal, hacker

Exercise 4
a. Personal credentials
b. detect
c. virtual criminals
d. a confidentiality agreement
e. blackmail
f. rescued
g. authorities
h. requested

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