PTE Academic · Write Essay

Cybersecurity and Digital Defence

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  • PTE Academic
1

Encryption Backdoors and Public Safety

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You will have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise an essay about the topic below. Your response will be judged on how well you develop a position, organise your ideas, present supporting details, and control the elements of standard written English. You should write 200–300 words.

Some governments argue that security agencies should have backdoor access to encrypted messaging services to prevent serious crime. Critics maintain that any intentional vulnerability fatally undermines digital privacy and economic security for everyone. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Support your opinion with reasons and examples.

0 words · target 200–300 · 20 minutes in the test · spell-check is off, as in the test

Questions 2–3

You will have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise an essay about the topic below. Your response will be judged on how well you develop a position, organise your ideas, present supporting details, and control the elements of standard written English. You should write 200–300 words.

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2

Prohibiting Ransomware Payments

As ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure increase, some experts suggest that making ransom payments illegal would eliminate the financial incentive for cybercriminals. Others contend that such a prohibition would force compromised organisations into catastrophic operational failure. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of banning ransomware payments.

3

Autonomous AI Network Defence

Many organisations are deploying autonomous artificial intelligence systems to detect and neutralise network threats without human intervention. Do the benefits of fully automated cybersecurity defences outweigh the potential risks? Give reasons for your answer based on your knowledge or experience.

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