Information Technology and Computer Awareness
Information Technology and Computer Awareness covers hardware, software, networking, cyber safety and Kerala's e-governance platforms.
Fundamentals
- Hardware: CPU, input, output and memory. RAM is volatile; ROM is non-volatile.
- Units: 1 byte = 8 bits; 1 KB = 1024 bytes; 1 MB = 1024 KB; 1 GB = 1024 MB.
- Software: system software (operating system) and application software; open source versus proprietary.
- Shortcuts: Ctrl+C copy, Ctrl+V paste, Ctrl+Z undo, Ctrl+S save.
Internet and security
- An IP address identifies a device; URL, DNS, HTTP and HTTPS are basic web terms.
- Threats: virus, worm, Trojan, phishing, ransomware and identity theft.
- Safeguards: strong passwords, two-factor authentication, never sharing an OTP, and reporting to cybercrime.gov.in.
Kerala e-governance
- Akshaya centres, K-FON, e-Health and online police services.
- The IT Act, 2000 as amended governs cyber offences; CERT-Kerala handles state incidents.
Worked example
Convert binary 1011 to decimal. From the right, the place values are 1, 2, 4 and 8. Add where the bit is 1: 8 + 0 + 2 + 1 = 11. Answer: 11.
Traps
- Confusing bit and byte.
- Treating RAM as permanent storage.
- Saying HTTPS is only faster; it is encrypted.
- Believing antivirus alone stops phishing.
- Assuming a deleted file is gone forever.