BTEC International Level 3 Information Technology

Unit 11: Cyber Security and Incident Management — assessment criteria

Learners study cyber security threats and vulnerabilities, the methods used to protect systems against threats and how to plan for and manage security incidents.

Internal set assignment120 GLH14 criteria4 learning aims
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Assessment criteria

Reproduced verbatim from the Pearson specification — the same grid the assignment brief carries. A unit grade is the highest band where all criteria in that band (and every band below it) are met.

Pass

8 criteria
A.P1Explain the different cyber security threats that can affect the IT systems of organisations.
A.P2Explain the system vulnerabilities that can affect the IT systems of organisations.
A.P3Explain how organisations can use physical, software and hardware security measures to counteract security threats.
B.P4Explain how different network types and components can be secured.
B.P5Explain how cyber security impacts networking infrastructure and resources.
C.P6Perform a risk assessment of system vulnerabilities.
C.P7Produce a cyber security plan for an organisation’s IT system.
D.P8Explain the forensic procedures for collection of evidence following a security incident.

Merit

4 criteria
A.M1Assess the impact that cyber security threats can have on organisations’ IT systems while taking account of the legal requirements. networked systems
B.M2Analyse the security implications of different networked systems.
C.M3Justify the choice of security measures used to defend the IT systems of an organisation. forensic evidence following a security incident
D.M4Analyse how forensic procedures are implemented on a suspect system.

Distinction

2 criteria
AB.D1Evaluate the effectiveness of the measures used to protect organisations from cyber security threats while taking account of the legal requirements.
CD.D2Evaluate the cyber security plan, including its impact on internal policies and external service providers.

Command verbs in this unit

The verb decides the depth expected — that is what separates Pass from Merit and Distinction work on the same learning aim.

EvaluateExplainAssessAnalysePerformProduceJustify
Pearson's ladder runs Identify → Describe → Explain → Compare / Analyse → Evaluate / Justify / Assess. A Merit or Distinction criterion on the same aim always implies the Pass beneath it: an “evaluate” answer that never first “explains” fails, however polished it reads. Hover a verb for what it demands.

Learning aims

  • A. Understand cyber security threats, system vulnerabilities and security protection
  • B. Explore the security implications of networked systems
  • C. Develop a cyber security protection plan
  • D. Examine procedures to collect forensic evidence following a security incident

How checkb.tech checks this unit

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Verification & Quality Tools for Unit 11

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Criteria and aim text reproduced for teacher reference from the official Pearson qualification documentation (Pearson BTEC International Level 3 Qualifications in Information Technology). BTEC is a registered trademark of Pearson Education Limited. checkb.tech is an independent tool — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Pearson. It never awards a grade; the teacher stays the assessor.