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KASNEB CICT practice questions

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Question 1Information Technology

In a computer system, which component is primarily responsible for performing arithmetic and logical operations on data?

  1. The hard disk drive (HDD)
  2. The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) Correct answer.
  3. The control unit (CU)
  4. The random access memory (RAM)

Explanation

The arithmetic logic unit is the part of the CPU that executes arithmetic operations such as addition and logical operations such as AND, OR and comparison. The control unit coordinates instruction execution but does not itself compute results, while memory and storage only hold data.

Question 2Information Technology

A user wants a storage medium that can be written to and erased many times using electrical signals and has no moving parts. Which technology best fits this requirement?

  1. Solid-state drive (SSD) Correct answer.
  2. Magnetic tape cartridge
  3. Compact disc rewritable (CD-RW)
  4. Blu-ray disc

Explanation

An SSD stores data in flash memory cells that are written and erased electrically and contains no moving mechanical parts. Optical media and magnetic tape rely on different recording methods and, for tape, on mechanical transport.

Question 3Information Technology

Which number base is used internally by digital computers because it maps directly onto the two voltage states of a logic circuit?

  1. Octal
  2. Hexadecimal
  3. Binary Correct answer.
  4. Decimal

Explanation

Digital circuits distinguish two stable states, usually represented as 0 and 1, which is the binary number system. Decimal, hexadecimal and octal are convenient notations for humans but are converted to binary for processing.

Question 4Information Technology

On a network, which device forwards data packets between different networks by examining IP addresses and choosing a path?

  1. Network interface card
  2. Router Correct answer.
  3. Unmanaged switch
  4. Repeater

Explanation

A router operates at the network layer, reads destination IP addresses and selects the best path to forward packets between networks. A switch forwards frames within a local network using MAC addresses, and a repeater merely regenerates signals.

Question 5Information Technology

Which software category is designed specifically to manage hardware resources and provide services on which application programs run?

  1. Firmware
  2. Application software
  3. System software Correct answer.
  4. Utility software

Explanation

System software, chiefly the operating system, manages hardware, memory, files and processes and provides the platform on which applications execute. Application software performs user-oriented tasks, while firmware is low-level code embedded in hardware.

Question 6Information Technology

In a relational database, which key uniquely identifies each row in a table and must not contain null values?

  1. Foreign key
  2. Primary key Correct answer.
  3. Candidate key
  4. Alternate key

Explanation

A primary key is the chosen candidate key that uniquely identifies every row and, by definition, cannot be null. A foreign key references a key in another table and may be null, while alternate keys are the candidate keys not selected as primary.

Question 7Information Technology

Which protocol is used to transfer web pages securely between a browser and a web server?

  1. FTP
  2. SNMP
  3. HTTPS Correct answer.
  4. SMTP

Explanation

HTTPS is HTTP carried over TLS, which encrypts the session and authenticates the server, protecting web page transfers. FTP transfers files without that web-oriented encryption, SMTP sends mail and SNMP manages network devices.

Question 8Information Technology

Which of the following is the main purpose of data backup in an organisation?

  1. To prevent unauthorised users from logging in
  2. To compress files so they occupy less disk space
  3. To restore data after loss or corruption Correct answer.
  4. To increase the processing speed of the CPU

Explanation

A backup is a copy of data kept so that the original can be restored if it is lost, corrupted or destroyed. Backup does not improve processing speed, and although backups may be compressed, compression is not their purpose; access control handles unauthorised logins.

Question 9Information Technology

A decimal value of 45 is to be represented in 8-bit binary. What is its binary equivalent?

  1. 01001011
  2. 00101101 Correct answer.
  3. 00101110
  4. 00110101

Explanation

Using place values 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1, the value 45 equals 32 + 8 + 4 + 1, which sets bits in positions 32, 8, 4 and 1. That gives 00101101 in eight bits.

Question 10Information Technology

A spreadsheet cell contains the formula =IF(B2>=50,"Pass","Fail"). If B2 holds the value 50, what will the cell display?

  1. An error value
  2. 50
  3. Pass Correct answer.
  4. Fail

Explanation

The IF function tests the condition B2>=50; because 50 is greater than or equal to 50 the condition is true, so the first result, Pass, is returned. The threshold is inclusive, so a value exactly equal to 50 still passes.

Question 11Information Technology

Which addressing mode in a computer instruction specifies the operand directly within the instruction itself?

  1. Indexed addressing
  2. Direct addressing
  3. Indirect addressing
  4. Immediate addressing Correct answer.

Explanation

In immediate addressing the operand value is embedded in the instruction, so no memory fetch is needed to obtain it. Direct addressing gives the operand's address, indirect addressing gives the address of the address, and indexed addressing adds an index register to a base address.

Question 12Information Technology

A company wants each department to have its own logical network segment on a single physical switch infrastructure, improving broadcast control and security. Which feature should be configured?

  1. Dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP)
  2. Virtual LANs (VLANs) Correct answer.
  3. Network address translation (NAT)
  4. Domain name system (DNS)

Explanation

VLANs logically partition a switched network so that broadcast traffic is confined to each group and devices in different VLANs cannot communicate without routing. NAT translates addresses, DHCP assigns addresses and DNS resolves names.

Question 13Information Technology

In the context of information security, what does the principle of least privilege require?

  1. All data must be encrypted at rest
  2. All users share a single administrator account
  3. Passwords must be changed at fixed intervals
  4. Users receive only the access rights needed for their duties Correct answer.

Explanation

Least privilege means granting each user or process the minimum access necessary to perform its tasks, limiting the damage from error or compromise. Shared administrator accounts and mandatory password rotation are separate controls and do not express this principle.

Question 14Information Technology

Which of the following best describes the function of an operating system's scheduler?

  1. Translating source code into machine code
  2. Storing files in directories on disk
  3. Resolving domain names to IP addresses
  4. Deciding which ready process runs on the CPU next Correct answer.

Explanation

The scheduler selects among ready processes and allocates CPU time according to a scheduling policy such as round robin or priority. Compilation, file organisation and name resolution are performed by other components.

Question 15Information Technology

In a database, a table stores customer records. Which SQL clause would be used to return only customers located in Nairobi?

  1. WHERE city = 'Nairobi' Correct answer.
  2. GROUP BY city
  3. HAVING city
  4. ORDER BY city

Explanation

The WHERE clause filters rows before they are returned, so WHERE city = 'Nairobi' restricts output to matching records. ORDER BY sorts rows, GROUP BY aggregates them and HAVING filters groups after aggregation.

Question 16Information Technology

A small office needs to connect devices wirelessly while allowing guests to access the internet without reaching internal file servers. Which approach best meets this requirement?

  1. Give guests the internal wireless password
  2. Configure a separate guest wireless network isolated from the internal LAN Correct answer.
  3. Disable encryption on the internal wireless network
  4. Assign static public IP addresses to guest devices

Explanation

A separate guest network, often implemented as a distinct SSID mapped to its own VLAN, can be restricted to internet access only and kept away from internal resources. Sharing the internal password or removing encryption exposes the internal network.

Question 17Information Technology

A logic circuit produces an output of 1 only when both of its inputs are 1. Which gate is being described?

  1. AND gate Correct answer.
  2. XOR gate
  3. NOT gate
  4. OR gate

Explanation

An AND gate outputs 1 only when every input is 1; if any input is 0 the output is 0. An OR gate outputs 1 when at least one input is 1, a NOT gate inverts a single input and an XOR gate outputs 1 when inputs differ.

Question 18Information Technology

In a system development life cycle, which phase immediately follows requirements analysis and specifies how the system will be built?

  1. System implementation
  2. System maintenance
  3. System design Correct answer.
  4. System testing

Explanation

System design translates the agreed requirements into specifications for architecture, data, interfaces and programs before coding begins. Implementation, testing and maintenance follow design in the life cycle.

Question 19Information Technology

A worker receives an email that appears to come from the finance director asking urgently for a payment to a new bank account. Which security threat does this describe?

  1. Phishing Correct answer.
  2. Packet sniffing
  3. SQL injection
  4. Denial of service

Explanation

Phishing uses deceptive messages that impersonate a trusted party to trick recipients into transferring money or revealing credentials. Denial of service disrupts availability, SQL injection attacks databases and packet sniffing intercepts traffic.

Question 20Information Technology

Which file extension typically indicates a compressed archive that may contain several files?

  1. .exe
  2. .dll
  3. .html
  4. .zip Correct answer.

Explanation

A .zip file is a compressed archive that can hold one or more files and folders, reducing size and bundling content. Executable, web page and dynamic library files serve entirely different purposes.

Question 21Information Technology

A network has the address 192.168.10.0 with subnet mask 255.255.255.192. How many usable host addresses are available in each subnet?

  1. 62 Correct answer.
  2. 64
  3. 30
  4. 126

Explanation

The mask 255.255.255.192 borrows two host bits, leaving six host bits, so each subnet has 2^6 = 64 addresses. Subtracting the network and broadcast addresses leaves 62 usable host addresses.

Question 22Information Technology

A programmer writes a loop that reads records until an end-of-file marker is reached but forgets to update the read pointer inside the loop. What defect will most likely occur?

  1. An infinite loop Correct answer.
  2. A syntax error
  3. A type mismatch error
  4. A stack underflow

Explanation

If the condition that should eventually terminate the loop never changes because the pointer is not advanced, the loop repeats indefinitely. Syntax and type errors are detected during compilation, and stack underflow concerns a data structure, not this loop.

Question 23Information Technology

A relational table contains a column storing several phone numbers in a single cell separated by commas. Which normal form is most directly violated?

  1. Boyce-Codd normal form
  2. Second normal form
  3. Third normal form
  4. First normal form Correct answer.

Explanation

First normal form requires every attribute to hold atomic, single-valued data; storing a list of phone numbers in one cell violates this. Second and third normal form address partial and transitive dependencies on the key, which is a different concern.

Question 24Information Technology

An organisation stores backups on site in the same server room as the production servers. Which weakness in its backup strategy is most significant?

  1. The backup media will be too small
  2. Restoration will require reinstallation of the operating system
  3. Backups will take too long to complete
  4. A single incident could destroy both the originals and the backups Correct answer.

Explanation

Keeping backups in the same room as production data means a fire, flood, theft or ransomware event could destroy both copies at once, defeating the purpose of backup. Off-site or cloud replication mitigates this risk.

Question 25Information Technology

A web application passes user input directly into an SQL statement without validation. Which control most directly prevents SQL injection?

  1. Rotating database passwords monthly
  2. Enabling HTTPS on the site
  3. Using parameterised queries Correct answer.
  4. Increasing the server's RAM

Explanation

Parameterised queries separate SQL code from data so that user input is treated as a value and cannot alter the statement's structure. Extra memory, HTTPS and password rotation do not stop injected SQL from being interpreted as code.

Question 26Information Technology

Which number system is used internally by digital computers because it maps directly onto the two stable states of a logic circuit?

  1. Hexadecimal
  2. Decimal
  3. Binary Correct answer.
  4. Octal

Explanation

Digital circuits have two reliable voltage states, so data is represented with base-2 digits called bits. Hexadecimal and octal are shorthand notations used by humans to read binary more compactly, not the internal representation.

Question 27Information Technology

A file is described as having a size of 2 KiB. How many bytes does this represent?

  1. 2000
  2. 2048 Correct answer.
  3. 4096
  4. 1024

Explanation

The kibibyte (KiB) is a binary multiple equal to 2^10 bytes, which is 1024 bytes. Therefore 2 KiB equals 2 x 1024 = 2048 bytes.

Question 28Information Technology

Which type of software is designed to be freely used, modified and redistributed because its source code is made available under a licence?

  1. Open-source software Correct answer.
  2. Proprietary software
  3. Shareware
  4. Freeware

Explanation

Open-source licences grant users access to the source code together with rights to study, modify and redistribute it. Freeware and shareware concern cost or trial terms only and do not necessarily grant source-code rights.

Question 29Information Technology

In a computer, which component is responsible for temporarily holding programs and data that the processor is currently using?

  1. Main memory Correct answer.
  2. Read-only memory
  3. Cache memory
  4. Hard disk drive

Explanation

Main memory, or RAM, holds the instructions and data of running programs so the processor can fetch them quickly. It is volatile, so its contents are lost when power is removed.

Question 30Information Technology

Which utility would a technician use to check whether a host is reachable across a network by sending ICMP echo requests?

  1. tracert
  2. netstat
  3. ipconfig
  4. ping Correct answer.

Explanation

The ping utility sends ICMP echo request packets and reports whether echo replies return, confirming basic reachability. The other tools display configuration, route paths or connection statistics rather than testing reachability directly.

Question 31Information Technology

Which of the following is an example of an output device in a computer system?

  1. Barcode scanner
  2. Plotter Correct answer.
  3. Touchpad
  4. Optical mark reader

Explanation

A plotter produces printed graphics and is therefore an output device. The other options capture data from the user or environment and are input devices.

Question 32Information Technology

Which HTML element is used to create a hyperlink to another web page?

  1. <a> Correct answer.
  2. <p>
  3. <h1>
  4. <img>

Explanation

The anchor element <a> with an href attribute defines a hyperlink to another resource. The other elements define paragraphs, images and headings respectively and do not create links.

Question 33Information Technology

Which generation of programming languages consists of machine-level mnemonics such as MOV and ADD that map closely to processor instructions?

  1. Third generation
  2. First generation
  3. Second generation Correct answer.
  4. Fourth generation

Explanation

Second-generation languages are assembly languages, which use symbolic mnemonics in place of binary opcodes. First-generation languages are raw machine code, while third and fourth generations are higher-level and declarative respectively.

Question 34Information Technology

A programmer wants a variable that can store a whole number between -128 and 127. Which data type is most appropriate?

  1. 8-bit unsigned integer
  2. Single-precision floating point
  3. 8-bit signed integer Correct answer.
  4. Boolean

Explanation

An 8-bit signed integer uses one bit for sign and seven for magnitude, giving a range of -128 to 127. An unsigned byte cannot hold negative values, and floating point or Boolean types do not match the requirement.

Question 35Information Technology

In a relational database, which property of a transaction ensures that either all of its operations are applied or none are?

  1. Consistency
  2. Isolation
  3. Durability
  4. Atomicity Correct answer.

Explanation

Atomicity treats a transaction as a single indivisible unit, so a partial failure rolls back all changes. Durability concerns persistence after commit, isolation concerns concurrent transactions, and consistency concerns valid state transitions.

Question 36Information Technology

A user reports that a workstation has an IP address beginning with 169.254. Which condition does this most likely indicate?

  1. The host has a loopback address assigned to its network card
  2. The DHCP server was not reached and the host self-assigned a link-local address Correct answer.
  3. The host has been assigned a public internet address
  4. The host is using a static address configured by the administrator

Explanation

The 169.254.0.0/16 range is reserved for link-local autoconfiguration, which hosts fall back to when no DHCP lease is obtained. A valid DHCP lease or static configuration would produce an address in the network's own range.

Question 37Information Technology

Which device operates at the network layer to forward packets between different networks using logical addressing?

  1. Hub
  2. Router Correct answer.
  3. Switch
  4. Repeater

Explanation

A router examines logical (IP) addresses and forwards packets between separate networks. Switches and hubs work with physical or data-link addresses within a single broadcast domain, and repeaters merely regenerate signals.

Question 38Information Technology

A program contains a loop that should execute exactly ten times, but the counter is initialised to 0 and the condition is counter <= 10. What type of error is present?

  1. A type mismatch error
  2. A logic error causing an off-by-one result Correct answer.
  3. A syntax error preventing compilation
  4. A runtime error causing a crash

Explanation

The code is syntactically valid and runs, but the loop executes eleven times because the boundary condition is wrong. This is a logic error, specifically an off-by-one error, which produces incorrect output without a diagnostic.

Question 39Information Technology

Which transmission medium uses light pulses confined within a glass core and offers high bandwidth with immunity to electromagnetic interference?

  1. Microwave radio
  2. Unshielded twisted pair
  3. Optical fibre Correct answer.
  4. Coaxial cable

Explanation

Optical fibre carries data as light through a glass or plastic core, so it is unaffected by electrical interference and supports very high bandwidth. Copper media such as UTP and coaxial cable are susceptible to electromagnetic noise.

Question 40Information Technology

A spreadsheet cell B2 contains the value 80. Which formula returns the text "Distinction" when B2 is at least 70 and "Merit" otherwise?

  1. =IF(B2>=70,"Distinction","Merit") Correct answer.
  2. =IF(B2>70,"Merit","Distinction")
  3. =COUNTIF(B2,70,"Distinction")
  4. =IF(B2<70,"Distinction","Merit")

Explanation

The IF function tests the condition B2>=70 and returns the first text when true and the second when false. With B2 equal to 80 the condition is true, so the cell displays Distinction.

Question 41Information Technology

Which type of malware encrypts a victim's files and demands payment for the decryption key?

  1. Adware
  2. Ransomware Correct answer.
  3. Worm
  4. Trojan horse

Explanation

Ransomware encrypts data and holds it hostage until a payment is made, sometimes with threats to publish the data. Trojans disguise themselves as legitimate software, worms self-replicate across networks, and adware displays unwanted advertising.

Question 42Information Technology

An organisation wants to prevent employees from copying confidential files onto removable USB drives. Which control best addresses this directly?

  1. Endpoint device-control policy blocking unauthorised removable media Correct answer.
  2. A firewall rule blocking outbound SMTP traffic
  3. Full-disk encryption on employee laptops
  4. Mandatory annual security awareness training

Explanation

Device-control policies enforced on endpoints can block or restrict mounting of removable storage, directly preventing copying to USB drives. The other controls address different risks such as data theft from lost devices, email exfiltration or general awareness.

Question 43Information Technology

Which of the following best describes the role of a compiler in program development?

  1. It stores the source code in a version-control repository
  2. It executes source statements one line at a time during runtime
  3. It links object modules and resolves external references
  4. It translates the entire source program into machine code before execution Correct answer.

Explanation

A compiler translates the whole source program into an object or executable form before the program runs. Interpreters execute statements one at a time, and linking is performed by a separate linker.

Question 44Information Technology

A small business stores its only copy of the customer database on a single server in the office. Which risk is most directly reduced by implementing a scheduled off-site backup?

  1. Unauthorised access to the database by an insider
  2. Hardware cost overruns in the IT budget
  3. Slow query performance during peak hours
  4. Permanent data loss following a fire at the office Correct answer.

Explanation

An off-site backup ensures a copy survives a site-wide disaster such as fire or flood, allowing restoration. It does not prevent insider access, improve query speed or reduce procurement costs.

Question 45Information Technology

In a system, a user's access rights are determined by the role the user holds, and rights change automatically when the role changes. Which access control model is being described?

  1. Mandatory access control
  2. Discretionary access control
  3. Rule-based access control
  4. Role-based access control Correct answer.

Explanation

Role-based access control assigns permissions to roles rather than individuals, and users inherit the permissions of their assigned role. Discretionary control lets owners set permissions, mandatory control uses system-wide labels, and rule-based control applies conditions such as time of day.

Question 46Information Technology

A processor uses a cache with a hit rate of 90 percent, a cache access time of 10 ns and a main memory access time of 100 ns. What is the average memory access time, ignoring any overlap?

  1. 55 ns
  2. 110 ns
  3. 100 ns
  4. 19 ns Correct answer.

Explanation

Average access time is the hit rate times cache time plus the miss rate times memory time: 0.9 x 10 + 0.1 x 100 = 9 + 10 = 19 ns. This weighted average assumes a miss requires a full main memory access.

Question 47Information Technology

A relation is in third normal form. Which condition must it satisfy in addition to being in second normal form?

  1. Every attribute must be atomic and contain no repeating groups
  2. The relation must contain no more than one foreign key
  3. Every determinant must be a candidate key
  4. No non-key attribute may depend transitively on the primary key Correct answer.

Explanation

Third normal form removes transitive dependencies, so non-key attributes depend only on candidate keys and not on other non-key attributes. Atomicity is a first normal form requirement, and every determinant being a candidate key defines BCNF.

Question 48Information Technology

A TCP sender transmits segments and receives no acknowledgement for a segment before its retransmission timer expires. What is the standard response?

  1. Immediately double the congestion window and continue sending
  2. Terminate the connection and require a new handshake
  3. Send the segment to the default gateway for rerouting
  4. Retransmit the unacknowledged segment and reduce the congestion window Correct answer.

Explanation

TCP treats a timeout as a sign of congestion, so it retransmits the missing segment and shrinks its congestion window before gradually increasing it again. Doubling the window would worsen congestion, and a timeout does not by itself close the connection.

Question 49Information Technology

A recursive function has no base case and is called with an argument that never reaches a terminating condition. What is the most likely consequence?

  1. A syntax error detected before execution begins
  2. A stack overflow as successive calls exhaust the call stack Correct answer.
  3. Automatic conversion of the recursion into a loop by the compiler
  4. Silent return of a zero value to the caller

Explanation

Each recursive call pushes a new stack frame, so unbounded recursion exhausts the call stack and raises a stack overflow. The code is syntactically valid, and compilers do not automatically rewrite unbounded recursion into a loop.

Question 50Information Technology

An organisation must choose between symmetric and asymmetric cryptography for encrypting a large volume of stored data. Which reasoning is most sound?

  1. Use asymmetric encryption for bulk data because it is faster than symmetric encryption
  2. Use symmetric encryption for key exchange and asymmetric encryption for bulk data
  3. Use only asymmetric encryption because symmetric keys cannot be rotated
  4. Use symmetric encryption for bulk data and asymmetric encryption to exchange the symmetric key Correct answer.

Explanation

Symmetric algorithms are far faster and suit bulk encryption, but the shared key must be distributed securely, which asymmetric encryption can accomplish. Reversing the roles would impose heavy computational cost on large data volumes.