OCR GCSE Computer Science Complete Practice Exam 2025

Data interception and theft specifically refers to the act of gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information as it travels over a network or is stored in electronic formats. This typically occurs when an attacker captures data packets during transmission, which can include personal information, usernames, passwords, financial details, and more.

The essence of this choice lies in the notion of "unauthorized access," indicating that the perpetrator does not have permission to view or obtain the data. This is a common threat in cybersecurity where malicious actors utilize various techniques like packet sniffing or man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept sensitive information without consent.

In contrast, the other options relate to different aspects of cybersecurity threats but do not accurately capture the specific nature of data interception and theft. Delivering malware involves introducing harmful software to disrupt systems rather than capturing data during transmission. Creating network congestion typically refers to actions that slow down or disrupt network services rather than directly stealing data. Simulating network attacks is focused on testing defenses rather than the actual process of intercepting data. Thus, the best fit for what data interception and theft entails is the concept of unauthorized access to information.