Computer Systems, Databases, Networks, and Information Security
Core concepts
The IT Passport treats hardware, software, data, and networks as one integrated stack. Know the roles of CPU, main memory, and auxiliary storage; the difference between volatile (RAM) and nonvolatile storage; and how bits, bytes, and binary/hexadecimal representation work. Understand input/output devices, OS functions (process and memory management, file systems), and the distinction between application software and middleware.
For databases, focus on the relational model: tables, primary keys, foreign keys, and normalization (removing redundancy to avoid update anomalies). Learn what a DBMS does, the meaning of transactions and ACID properties, and the purpose of backup and recovery. Be able to read a simple SQL SELECT with WHERE and JOIN conceptually.
Networks: know LAN vs WAN, client-server vs peer-to-peer, IP addresses, DNS name resolution, and the roles of routers and switches. Understand the TCP/IP layering idea at a high level and what protocols like HTTP, SMTP, and FTP are for.
Information security: confidentiality, integrity, availability (CIA); authentication vs authorization; encryption (symmetric vs public-key); hashing; digital signatures; malware types; and the human factor (phishing, social engineering).
Traps
Questions often swap terms: a firewall filters traffic but does not encrypt; a digital signature proves origin and integrity, not confidentiality. Symmetric keys are fast but require secure key sharing. "Backup" is not the same as "redundancy."
Rule of thumb
Ask what the technology protects: confidentiality (encryption), integrity (hash/signature), or availability (redundancy/backup).