Lesson Companion – The Art of the Hack

Lesson Companion: The Art of the Hack
How Hackers Break In — and What We Can Learn From Them
📝 Use this guide to take notes, answer key questions, and reflect as you follow today’s presentation and lab.

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🎯 What I Will Learn Today

• The six stages of a real-world cyberattack
• How hackers think and what tools they use
• The difference between ethical and malicious hacking
• How to analyze websites for common security weaknesses
• Why it’s important to defend systems before they are attacked

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📓 Notes by Topic

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🧠 What Is Hacking?

Hacking originally meant:
🖊 _______________________________________________________

Today, it often refers to:
🖊 _______________________________________________________

Types of hackers:

Type	Description
White Hat	________________________________________
Black Hat	________________________________________
Gray Hat	________________________________________

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🔎 The Hacker’s Mindset

Hackers don’t try to break what’s strong — they look for what’s:
🖊 _______________________________________________________

They rely on:

• Logic and observation
• Weak security or human mistakes
• Tools that are easy to find online

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🔗 The 6-Stage Attack Chain

Stage	What Happens
1. Reconnaissance	_________________________________
2. Scanning	_________________________________
3. Access	_________________________________
4. Payload	_________________________________
5. Escalation	_________________________________
6. Exfiltration	_________________________________

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🧰 Hacker Toolkit

Tools often used by attackers:

• Port scanners (e.g. Nmap)
• Password crackers (e.g. Hydra)
• Keyloggers
• Malware generators
• Social engineering kits

🖊 Write one tool you learned about and what it does:

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🔐 Real-World Examples

Case 1: A student hacked the school gradebook
🖊 What was the weak point? _____________________________

Case 2: Ransomware attack on a hospital
🖊 How did it start? ____________________________________
🖊 What was the damage? _______________________________

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🔍 Practice: Spot the Flaws

What are some common flaws hackers look for?
☐ Weak passwords
☐ Public data online
☐ Open ports
☐ Users who click links without checking

🖊 Add one more weakness you learned about:

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🧪 Lab Activity: “Find the Weak Link”

Goal: Use browser tools to inspect a challenge website and simulate a hacker’s early steps.

During the lab, I will:
☐ Open Developer Tools (Inspect Element)
☐ View HTML and JavaScript
☐ Look for hidden fields, weak code, or exposed credentials
☐ Try modifying inputs or checking script logic
☐ Analyze how a real hacker might exploit this

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💬 Lab Reflection

🖊 What was the most interesting thing you found?

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🖊 What made the site vulnerable?

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🖊 How could a developer fix it?

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🛡️ Cyber Ethics

What makes a hacker ethical?

• Always has _________________________
• Works to ___________________________
• Never uses skills to ________________

✅ Cyber Rangers use knowledge to protect — not to harm.

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💡 Final Reflection

1. What did you learn about how real hackers work?
   🖊 _____________________________________________________
2. How does knowing this help you be a better defender?
   🖊 _____________________________________________________
3. What will you look out for in your own digital life?
   🖊 _____________________________________________________