A school network manager notices that files on several computers have been encrypted by malicious software and a ransom message is displayed demanding payment to restore access. Which type of malware is responsible for this attack?

Q: How do I try a free CIE Computer Science question?

Just tap any of the four options on this page — no signup, no card, nothing to install. You'll see the correct answer and a full mark-scheme-style explanation within a second. Each visit shows a fresh randomly-picked question from the live CIE IGCSE Computer Science bank, so you can keep refreshing to try different ones before deciding whether to create a free account for daily access.

Q: Is Kramizo really free for CIE Computer Science students?

Yes — completely free. Every student gets 45 questions a day on the free plan, across any board and any subject, with no card required and no trial countdown. Kramizo's optional Pro plan removes the daily cap and adds analytics, but the free plan is genuinely free forever. We make money from the small percentage of students who choose to upgrade — not from selling data or ads.

Q: Are the Computer Science questions aligned to the CIE IGCSE syllabus?

Every question is written against the published CIE IGCSE Computer Science syllabus and reviewed for accuracy before being added to the bank. We match the command words (state, describe, explain, evaluate), mark allocations, and difficulty tier you'll see on real CIE past papers. Explanations are written in the style of official examiner mark schemes so students learn exactly what marks are being awarded for.

Question

A school network manager notices that files on several computers have been encrypted by malicious software and a ransom message is displayed demanding payment to restore access. Which type of malware is responsible for this attack?

Accepted Answer

Ransomware — Award 1 mark for ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the victim's files, making them inaccessible, and demands a ransom payment — typically in cryptocurrency — in exchange for the decryption key. A is incorrect — spyware secretly collects user information (such as keystrokes or browsing history) and transmits it without the user's knowledge, but does not encrypt files or demand payment. C is incorrect — adware displays unwanted advertising to the user but does not encrypt files or restrict access. D is incorrect — a worm is malware that self-replicates and spreads across a network without needing a host file, but its primary effect is spreading rather than encrypting files for ransom.

Answer

Ransomware

Answer

Spyware

Answer

Adware

Answer

A worm

One real Computer Science question.No signup. 30 seconds.

One real Computer Science question.
No signup. 30 seconds.