Cyber Security (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Computer Science)

Exam Questions

1 hour15 questions
11 mark

A company has a website that is stored on a web server.

The company is concerned about a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack

Suggest one security device that can be used to help prevent a DDoS attack.

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23 marks

A student is concerned about the threats to their computer when using the internet

The student wants to use some security solutions to help protect the computer from the threats.

Identify a security solution that could be used to protect the computer from a computer virus, hacking and spyware.

Each security solution must be different.

Threat

Security solution

Computer virus

Hacking

Spyware

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3a1 mark

Adele chooses to set a biometric password for her mobile device, instead of a personal identification number (PIN).

State what is meant by a biometric password.

3b1 mark

Adele also encrypts the data on her mobile device to keep it more secure.

State how encryption will keep the data more secure.

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41 mark

Joelle is a student who uses the Internet.

Joelle uses a firewall to keep her data safe when she uses the Internet.

Tick (✓) to show which statement about firewalls is true.

Tick (✓)

Firewalls can only be hardware‑based

Firewalls can only be software‑based

Firewalls can be hardware‑based or software‑based

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51 mark

Millions of emails are sent between users on a daily basis.

Online security attacks can maliciously damage data.

One security method to keep data safe from online attacks is a firewall.

Identify two other security methods that keep data safe from online attacks.

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6a3 marks

A manager at a company is concerned about a brute‑force attack on its employee user accounts.

One possible aim for carrying out a brute‑force attack is to install malware onto the company network.

Identify three types of malware that could be installed.

6b2 marks

Give two security solutions that could be used to help prevent a brute‑force attack being successful.

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71 mark

A student uses the internet for their schoolwork to research what is meant by pharming.

State the aim of pharming.

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14 marks

A company has a website that is stored on a web server.

The company is concerned about a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.

Describe what is meant by a DDoS attack.

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2a2 marks

Adele chooses to set a biometric password for her mobile device, instead of a personal identification number (PIN).

Give two reasons why a biometric password is more secure than a PIN.

2b3 marks

Adele has a software‑based firewall installed on her mobile device.

The firewall gathers data about the traffic coming into and going out of her mobile device.

Explain how the firewall uses the gathered data to keep the mobile device more secure.

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34 marks

Joelle is a student who uses the Internet.

Joelle’s parent also uses the firewall to limit the websites that Joelle can access.

Explain how the firewall is used to limit the websites that Joelle can access.

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4a6 marks

Millions of emails are sent between users on a daily basis.

Identify two online security attacks that can be carried out using email.

Describe how email is used to enable the attack.

Online security attack

Description

4b6 marks

Data can also be damaged accidentally.

One example of how data can be damaged accidentally is by shutting down a computer before saving data. To prevent this from happening, a user should make sure they have saved all data before shutting down a computer.

Complete the table by giving three other examples of how data can be damaged accidentally.

Give a method of prevention for each example.

Example

Method of prevention

................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

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5a3 marks

A manager at a company is concerned about a brute‑force attack on its employee user accounts

Describe how a brute‑force attack can be used to gain access to the employee user accounts.

5b2 marks

A manager at a company is concerned about a brute‑force attack on its employee user accounts.

One possible aim for carrying out a brute‑force attack is to install malware onto the company network.

State two other aims for carrying out a brute‑force attack to gain access to the employee user accounts.

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16 marks

An art gallery uses secure socket layer (SSL) to provide a secure connection when selling art on its website.

Describe the process of SSL and explain how it provides a secure connection.

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26 marks

A student is concerned about the threats to their computer when using the internet.

The student wants to use some security solutions to help protect the computer from the threats.

Describe how each of the following security solutions will help protect the computer.

  • Anti-malware

  • Two-step verification

  • Passwords

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34 marks

A student uses the internet for their schoolwork to research what is meant by harming

Draw and annotate a diagram to represent the process of pharming.

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