Internet Safety Trivia
Internet Safety trivia explores the ideas and incidents that shaped how we protect personal information, recognize online threats, and navigate the web more confidently. From early concerns about email scams and weak passwords to todayâs focus on privacy, phishing, and digital footprints, it offers a clear, family-friendly way to learn why good security habits matter.
Easy Internet Safety Trivia
13 questions
These easy Internet Safety trivia questions are great for beginners and kids around age 12 and under.
Question 1
What web protocol adds TLS encryption to ordinary HTTP traffic?
Answer: HTTPS
HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP because it adds TLS encryption to web traffic.
Question 2
What security tool filters network traffic using configured rules?
Answer: A firewall
A firewall checks network traffic and allows or blocks it based on rules.
Question 3
What do you call a group of compromised devices controlled together?
Answer: A botnet
A botnet is a network of hacked or compromised devices run is a group.
Question 4
Which U.S. federal agency focuses on cybersecurity and infrastructure security?
Answer: CISA
CISA is the federal cybersecurity agency of the United States.
Question 5
Which browser routes traffic through the Tor network to help obscure your IP address?
Answer: Tor Browser
Tor Browser sends traffic through the Tor network to help hide a user's IP address.
Question 6
What is the common abbreviation for Data Protection Officer?
Answer: DPO
Data Protection Officer is commonly shortened to DPO.
Question 7
A SOC analyst works in what kind of center?
Answer: A Security Operations Center
SOC stands for Security Operations Center.
Question 8
Google's headquarters are in which California city?
Answer: Mountain View
Google is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Question 9
Meta is headquartered in what California city?
Answer: Menlo Park
Meta's headquarters are in Menlo Park, California.
Question 10
Microsoft's headquarters are located in which Washington city?
Answer: Redmond
Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.
Question 11
Apple is headquartered in which California city?
Answer: Cupertino
Apple's headquarters are in Cupertino, California.
Question 12
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is based in what city?
Answer: San Francisco
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is based in San Francisco.
Question 13
In what year did Facebook launch, raising the profile of social-media privacy settings?
Answer: 2004
Facebook launched in 2004.
Internet Safety Family Trivia
12 questions
These family Internet Safety trivia questions are built for mixed-age game nights, classrooms, and groups.
Question 1
Who created Pretty Good Privacy, often called PGP, in 1991?
- A.Whitfield Diffie
- B.Michael Mann
- C.Phil Zimmermann
- D.Bram Cohen
Answer: Phil Zimmermann created Pretty Good Privacy in 1991.
Pretty Good Privacy, or PGP, was created by Phil Zimmermann in 1991.
Question 2
One of the co-creators of RSA shares a last name with the S in the initials. Who is it?
Answer: Adi Shamir is one of the co-creators of RSA.
RSA is named from the surnames Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman. Adi Shamir is the S.
Question 3
In the name RSA, which person is represented by the letter A?
- A.Adi Shamir
- B.Ron Rivest
- C.Whitfield Diffie
- D.Leonard Adleman
Answer: Leonard Adleman is the A in RSA.
The A in RSA stands for Adleman, referring to Leonard Adleman.
Question 4
If you were spelling out RSA from its creators' names, who gives the letter R?
Answer: Ron Rivest is the R in RSA.
The R in RSA comes from Ron Rivest's last name.
Question 5
Which computer scientist helped create the Diffie-Hellman key exchange?
- A.Moxie Marlinspike
- B.Simon Singh
- C.Whitfield Diffie helped create the Diffie-Hellman key exchange.
- D.Phil Zimmermann
Answer: Whitfield Diffie helped create the Diffie-Hellman key exchange.
Whitfield Diffie is one of the people behind the Diffie-Hellman key exchange.
Question 6
What protocol was created by Bram Cohen?
Answer: Bram Cohen created the BitTorrent protocol.
Bram Cohen is known for creating the BitTorrent protocol.
Question 7
Which person co-founded Signal?
- A.Moxie Marlinspike co-founded Signal.
- B.Kevin Mitnick
- C.Andy Greenberg
- D.Ron Rivest
Answer: Moxie Marlinspike co-founded Signal.
Signal was co-founded by Moxie Marlinspike.
Question 8
Kevin Mitnick wrote a memoir with a spooky title. What is it called?
- A.Sandworm
- B.Blackhat
- C.Ghost in the Wires
- D.The Code Book
Answer: Kevin Mitnick wrote the memoir 'Ghost in the Wires.'
Kevin Mitnick's memoir is titled 'Ghost in the Wires.'.
Question 9
Who wrote the cybersecurity book 'Sandworm'?
Answer: Andy Greenberg wrote the cybersecurity book 'Sandworm.'
The book 'Sandworm' was written by Andy Greenberg.
Question 10
Which author wrote 'The Code Book'?
- A.Phil Zimmermann
- B.Leonard Adleman
- C.Simon Singh wrote the book 'The Code Book.'
- D.Andy Greenberg
Answer: Simon Singh wrote the book 'The Code Book.'
'The Code Book' was written by Simon Singh.
Question 11
Who directed the 2015 film 'Blackhat'?
Answer: Michael Mann directed the 2015 film 'Blackhat.'
The 2015 film 'Blackhat' was directed by Michael Mann.
Question 12
What is the term for deceptive messages that try to trick people into giving away information?
- A.ransomware
- B.CAPTCHA
- C.BitTorrent
- D.phishing
Answer: The term is phishing.
Phishing means trying to fool people into revealing information through deceptive messages.
Fun Internet Safety Trivia
13 questions
These fun Internet Safety trivia questions highlight surprising moments and playful facts for game-night groups.
Question 1
What was the name of the 1988 internet troublemaker that became the first widely recognized computer worm online?
Answer: The Morris Worm.
The Morris Worm, released in 1988, is widely recognized is the first major computer worm on the Internet.
Question 2
The Budapest Convention gets its name from which city?
- A.Vienna
- B.Brussels
- C.Prague
- D.Budapest
Answer: Budapest.
It is named after Budapest, where the convention was opened for signature.
Question 3
If you mailed a postcard to Europol headquarters, which city should go on the envelope?
Answer: The Hague.
Europol is headquartered in The Hague.
Question 4
Interpol calls which French city home?
Answer: Lyon.
Interpol is headquartered in Lyon, France.
Question 5
In what year did the California Consumer Privacy Act take effect?
Answer: 2020.
The California Consumer Privacy Act took effect in 2020.
Question 6
GDPR started applying across the European Union in what year?
Answer: 2018.
The GDPR began applying in 2018.
Question 7
What is the name of Australia's national cybersecurity center?
Answer: The Australian Cyber Security Centre.
Australia's national cybersecurity center is the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
Question 8
Tallinn, Estonia is home to which cyber defense organization with a very long name?
Answer: The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.
The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence is based in Tallinn, Estonia.
Question 9
The famous xkcd comic "Password Strength" landed online in which year?
Answer: 2011.
Xkcd posted the comic 'Password Strength' in 2011.
Question 10
The line "There is no patch for human stupidity" is commonly heard in what kind of training?
- A.security awareness training
- B.Network engineering training
- C.Database administration training
- D.Graphic design training
Answer: Security awareness training.
This phrase is commonly used in security awareness training.
Question 11
Before his 2013 disclosures, who worked for the NSA as a contractor?
Answer: Edward Snowden.
Edward Snowden worked for the NSA is a contractor before his 2013 disclosures.
Question 12
Which book is about the zero-day market: "This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends" or "The Phoenix Project"?
- A.Tell Me
- B.The Phoenix Project
- C.Cryptonomicon
- D.The Cuckoo's Egg
Answer: "This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends."
The book 'This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends' is about the zero-day market.
Question 13
In security jargon, what do you call a software flaw that the vendor doesn't know about when it's first exploited or disclosed?
Answer: A zero-day.
A zero-day is a software flaw unknown to the vendor when first exploited or disclosed.
Funny Internet Safety Trivia
13 questions
These funny Internet Safety trivia questions highlight playful moments, odd facts, and inside jokes.
Question 1
That classic scam email with more drama than a soap opera is called â419 fraud.â What does the â419â refer to?
- A.A Nigerian area code
- B.A section of Nigeria's criminal code
- C.A 4:19 p.m. timestamp used in spam filters
- D.An Interpol case number
Answer: It is named after a section of Nigeria's criminal code.
The term â419 fraudâ comes from the relevant section of Nigeria's criminal code, not from a phone code or case number.
Question 2
If an email claims royalty needs your help moving money, what kind of scheme is the so-called âNigerian prince scamâ?
- A.A phishing-free charity appeal
- B.An advance-fee fraud email scheme.
- C.A ransomware attack
- D.A password-reset scam
Answer: An advance-fee fraud email scheme.
The âNigerian prince scamâ is a common name for an advance-fee fraud, where victims are promised a reward after paying upfront.
Question 3
You click a totally normal link and suddenly 1987 punches through your speakers. Who is the artist most associated with a classic rickroll?
- A.Phil Collins
- B.George Michael
- C.David Bowie
- D.Rick Astley
Answer: Rick Astley.
Rickrolling famously uses Rick Astley's 1987 song âNever Gonna Give You Up.â.
Question 4
Which 2014 horror game helped popularize the jump-scare warning style that later showed up in web-safety jokes?
- A.Amnesia: The Dark Descent
- B.Slender: The Eight Pages
- C.Five Nights at Freddy's.
- D.Outlast
Answer: Five Nights at Freddy's.
The 2014 game âFive Nights at Freddy'sâ is the one cited here for popularizing that jump-scare warning style.
Question 5
Which famously strong meme-style password phrase sounds like a farm supply list but is actually a security example?
Answer: correct horse battery staple
âcorrect horse battery stapleâ is the well-known example passphrase.
Question 6
The comic that made âcorrect horse battery stapleâ internet-famous has a specific number. Which one is it?
- A.404
- B.451
- C.1337
- D.936
Answer: 936.
The xkcd comic that popularized the phrase is number 936.
Question 7
When tech support mutters âPEBKAC,â what are they expanding it to?
- A.Password Entered By Keyboard And Computer
- B.Peripheral Error Between Keycaps And Circuit
- C.Program Error Blocking Keys And Commands
- D.Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair.
Answer: Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair.
PEBKAC is a joking acronym for âProblem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair.â.
Question 8
True or false: âID10T errorâ is joking shorthand for âidiot error.â?
Answer: True
âID10Tâ visually resembles the word âidiot,â making it a joking label for user error.
Question 9
In a social-engineering test, if someone leaves a USB drive lying around like digital sidewalk candy, what is that tactic called?
- A.A drift injection
- B.drop attack
- C.A splash attack
- D.A bounce exploit
Answer: A drop attack.
A bait USB drive planted for someone to pick up and use is called a drop attack.
Question 10
Whatâs the term for solving a computer problem by explaining it out loud, even if your audience is a very patient bath toy?
Answer: Rubber duck debugging.
Rubber duck debugging means talking through a problem step by step to clarify your thinking.
Question 11
At DEF CON, what is the name of the area focused on election security rather than just giving your laptop stage fright?
- A.Ballot Bunker
- B.Democracy Lab
- C.Election Arcade
- D.Voting Village
Answer: Voting Village.
DEF CON has hosted Voting Village, a space focused on election security.
Question 12
Before many people learned to fear conference WiâFi, in what year did DEF CON begin in Las Vegas?
- A.1989
- B.1996
- C.2001
- D.1993
Answer: 1993.
DEF CON began in Las Vegas in 1993.
Question 13
Which annual hacking contest started in 2007 and has one of the most brag-worthy names in security culture?
- A.Zero Day Derby
- B.Pwn2Own
- C.Hack the Planet
- D.RootFest
Answer: Pwn2Own.
The annual Pwn2Own hacking contest started in 2007.
Hard Internet Safety Trivia
14 questions
These hard Internet Safety trivia questions are for expert fans who want a real challenge.
Question 1
Which three surnames give RSA its name?
Answer: Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman.
RSA is named after its creators: Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman.
Question 2
In what year did Diffie and Hellman publish their landmark public-key cryptography paper?
Answer: 1976.
The landmark Diffie-Hellman public-key cryptography paper was published in 1976.
Question 3
In SHA-256, what does the "SHA" portion expand to?
Answer: Secure Hash Algorithm.
SHA stands for Secure Hash Algorithm.
Question 4
AES works on blocks of what exact size?
- A.64 bits
- B.192 bits
- C.256 bits
- D.128 bits
Answer: 128 bits.
AES uses a fixed block size of 128 bits.
Question 5
What key length is used by the variant called AES-256?
Answer: A 256-bit key.
AES-256 specifically uses a 256-bit key.
Question 6
Spell out the security protocol abbreviated as TLS.?
Answer: Transport Layer Security.
TLS stands for Transport Layer Security.
Question 7
True or false: Seeing a padlock icon by itself proves a website is trustworthy.?
Answer: False
A padlock icon alone does not prove that a website is trustworthy.
Question 8
What does DNS stand for in internet infrastructure?
Answer: Domain Name System.
DNS expands to Domain Name System.
Question 9
Which technology was designed to add authentication to DNS data?
Answer: DNSSEC.
DNSSEC is intended to add authentication to DNS data.
Question 10
What identifier is used to track a publicly disclosed security vulnerability?
Answer: A CVE identifier.
A CVE identifier is used to track publicly disclosed security vulnerabilities.
Question 11
Expand the abbreviation CVE.?
Answer: Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures.
CVE stands for Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures.
Question 12
The initials CVSS stand for what scoring framework?
Answer: Common Vulnerability Scoring System.
CVSS expands to Common Vulnerability Scoring System.
Question 13
If a service is overwhelmed by traffic from many sources at once, what kind of attack is that?
Answer: A distributed denial-of-service attack.
DDoS stands for distributed denial-of-service attack.
Question 14
Which attack works by inserting malicious SQL into database queries?
Answer: SQL injection.
SQL injection targets database queries through malicious SQL input.
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