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MATSEC SEC Information Technology study materials
MATSEC SEC Information Technology study resources

MATSEC SEC Information Technology practice questions

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Question 1Information Technology

In a relational database, which key uniquely identifies each record in a table and cannot contain a null value?

  1. Primary key Correct answer.
  2. Foreign key
  3. Candidate attribute
  4. Composite index

Explanation

A primary key is the chosen candidate key that uniquely identifies every row and, by definition, must be unique and non-null. A foreign key instead references a key in another table and may repeat or be null.

Question 2Information Technology

Which number base is used internally by digital computers because it maps directly onto two-state logic circuits?

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

Explanation

Digital circuits have two stable states, on and off, which are represented by the digits 0 and 1. Binary therefore corresponds directly to the physical states of logic gates.

Question 3Information Technology

A school network lets staff and students share files. Which term describes a computer that stores shared files and manages access for client machines?

  1. Firewall
  2. Switch
  3. Server Correct answer.
  4. Router

Explanation

A server provides services or resources, such as file storage and access control, to client computers that request them. Routers and switches move traffic, while a firewall filters it.

Question 4Information Technology

Which of the following is an example of system software rather than application software?

  1. A photo editor
  2. A spreadsheet program
  3. A web browser
  4. An operating system Correct answer.

Explanation

System software manages hardware and provides a platform for other programs, and the operating system is the classic example. Spreadsheets, browsers and photo editors are applications that run on top of it.

Question 5Information Technology

What is the main purpose of a validation check such as a range check on an input field?

  1. To detect transmission errors using parity
  2. To encrypt the data before storage
  3. To compress the stored data
  4. To reduce the chance of inaccurate data being accepted Correct answer.

Explanation

Validation checks whether input is reasonable and within acceptable limits before it is stored, so obvious mistakes are rejected. It cannot guarantee that the data is true, only that it is plausible.

Question 6Information Technology

Which protocol is used by a web browser to request pages securely from a web server?

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

Explanation

HTTPS carries HTTP requests over an encrypted TLS connection, which protects the page content in transit. FTP is for file transfer, SMTP for sending mail and DNS for resolving names.

Question 7Information Technology

In a spreadsheet, a cell contains the formula =B2*C2. What happens to this formula when it is copied to the cell one row below?

  1. It becomes =B2*C3
  2. It becomes =B3*C3 Correct answer.
  3. It stays as =B2*C2
  4. It becomes =B3*C2

Explanation

Cell references without a dollar sign are relative, so copying a formula one row down shifts every row reference by one. Both B2 and C2 therefore become B3 and C3.

Question 8Information Technology

Which of these is a characteristic of a solid-state drive compared with a magnetic hard disk drive?

  1. It has no moving parts Correct answer.
  2. It contains spinning platters
  3. It requires optical reading
  4. It stores data on magnetic tape

Explanation

A solid-state drive stores data in flash memory chips and has no moving mechanical parts, which gives fast access and resistance to shock. Hard disks use rotating platters and moving read/write heads.

Question 9Information Technology

A program uses a loop to add the numbers 1 to 10. Which construct repeats a block a known number of times?

  1. A while loop
  2. A function call
  3. An if statement
  4. A for loop Correct answer.

Explanation

A for loop is designed for repetition where the number of iterations is known or controlled by a counter. A while loop repeats while a condition holds, and an if statement selects a branch without repeating.

Question 10Information Technology

Convert the binary number 1011 to decimal.

  1. 11 Correct answer.
  2. 9
  3. 13
  4. 15

Explanation

Reading place values from the right, 1011 equals 8 + 0 + 2 + 1, which totals 11. Each position represents a power of two starting at 2 to the power 0.

Question 11Information Technology

A table of customer orders stores the customer name in every order row. Which problem does this design most directly cause?

  1. Faster query processing
  2. Loss of referential integrity
  3. Data redundancy leading to update anomalies Correct answer.
  4. Automatic encryption of names

Explanation

Repeating the customer name in every order stores the same fact many times, so a change must be made in many rows and inconsistent updates can result. This redundancy is removed by normalising into separate customer and order tables.

Question 12Information Technology

Which addressing mode in a spreadsheet would you use to keep a tax rate in cell F1 fixed while copying a formula down a column?

  1. Absolute reference such as $F$1 Correct answer.
  2. A named range without anchoring
  3. Mixed reference such as F$1 only
  4. Relative reference such as F1

Explanation

An absolute reference with dollar signs before both column and row keeps the cell fixed when the formula is copied. A relative reference would shift down with each copy and point at the wrong rate.

Question 13Information Technology

A company wants to detect accidental corruption of data during transmission. Which method adds a single bit to each byte to make the number of 1 bits even?

  1. Encryption
  2. Checksum
  3. Compression
  4. Even parity Correct answer.

Explanation

Even parity appends a bit so the total count of 1 bits is even, allowing the receiver to detect an odd number of flipped bits. It is simple but cannot detect an even number of errors.

Question 14Information Technology

Which statement best describes the role of the operating system in memory management?

  1. It allocates and protects memory for running processes Correct answer.
  2. It converts source code into machine code
  3. It resolves domain names to IP addresses
  4. It permanently stores all programs in ROM

Explanation

The operating system decides which process receives which memory area, keeps processes from overwriting each other and reclaims memory when they finish. Compilation and name resolution are separate functions.

Question 15Information Technology

A user reports that a website loads slowly but other sites are fine. Which action is the most appropriate first diagnostic step?

  1. Reinstall the operating system
  2. Delete all browser bookmarks
  3. Replace the network cable
  4. Test the same site from another device or network Correct answer.

Explanation

Testing the site from another device or network isolates whether the fault lies with the site or with the user's own connection and browser. This narrows the cause before any repair is attempted.

Question 16Information Technology

Which of these best explains why public-key cryptography is used for secure web transactions?

  1. It makes data unreadable to the intended recipient
  2. It removes the need for any key management
  3. It lets parties agree on a shared secret without ever transmitting it in plaintext Correct answer.
  4. It allows the receiver to decrypt using the sender's public key

Explanation

Public-key methods let two parties establish a shared symmetric key over an insecure channel, after which fast symmetric encryption protects the data. The private key is never transmitted.

Question 17Information Technology

A loop is written to read 10 records, but the counter starts at 0 and the condition is counter < 10 with the counter incremented after each read. How many records are read?

  1. 11
  2. 10 Correct answer.
  3. 0
  4. 9

Explanation

Starting at 0, the loop runs for counter values 0 through 9 inclusive, which is exactly ten iterations. The increment occurs after each read, so the loop stops when the counter reaches 10.

Question 18Information Technology

Which of the following is the main function of a DNS server?

  1. Translating domain names into IP addresses Correct answer.
  2. Routing packets between subnets
  3. Assigning IP addresses dynamically to hosts
  4. Encrypting email messages

Explanation

DNS resolves human-readable domain names into the IP addresses that computers use to reach each other. Dynamic address assignment is DHCP, and routing is done by routers.

Question 19Information Technology

A student writes pseudocode to find the largest value in a nonempty array. If the loop compares elements from the second to the last, which initial value guarantees the correct result?

  1. The last element of the array
  2. The first element of the array Correct answer.
  3. 0
  4. 1

Explanation

Starting with the first element ensures it is included in the maximum calculation before the loop compares the remaining elements. Every array value is therefore considered, and the result remains correct even when all values are negative.

Question 20Information Technology

Which statement about a relational database view is correct?

  1. A view can only contain a single column
  2. A view is a stored query that presents selected data without storing it separately Correct answer.
  3. A view removes the need for primary keys
  4. A view stores a duplicate copy of the underlying rows

Explanation

A view is defined by a query and presents its results as a virtual table, which can simplify access and restrict what users see. The rows themselves remain in the base tables.

Question 21Information Technology

A company must choose between storing backups on-site and in the cloud. Which is a genuine advantage of cloud backup?

  1. It eliminates the need for encryption
  2. It guarantees that data can never be lost
  3. It provides off-site copies that survive damage to the local site Correct answer.
  4. It removes all recurring costs

Explanation

Cloud backup places copies in remote data centres, so a fire or flood at the local site does not destroy both the originals and the backups. Costs recur and encryption is still essential.

Question 22Information Technology

A query filters orders where the customer is in Malta and the total exceeds 100. Which Boolean form returns exactly those rows?

  1. Country <> 'Malta' AND Total > 100
  2. Country = 'Malta' AND Total >= 100
  3. Country = 'Malta' OR Total > 100
  4. Country = 'Malta' AND Total > 100 Correct answer.

Explanation

Both conditions must hold simultaneously, so the AND operator is required with the strict comparison greater than 100. Using OR would also return rows that satisfy only one condition.

Question 23Information Technology

A recursive routine computes Fibonacci numbers without memoisation. Why does its running time grow exponentially?

  1. Because the base cases are never reached
  2. Because integer addition is slow
  3. Because each call recomputes the same subproblems many times Correct answer.
  4. Because recursion always uses more memory than iteration

Explanation

Without memoisation the routine solves overlapping subproblems repeatedly, so the number of calls roughly doubles at each level. Caching results reduces the work to linear time.

Question 24Information Technology

Two transactions update the same bank balance at the same time. Which database property ensures the final result is as if they ran one after the other?

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

Explanation

Isolation controls how concurrent transactions interact so that intermediate states are not visible to each other, giving a result equivalent to serial execution. Atomicity, consistency and durability cover all-or-nothing execution, rule preservation and persistence.

Question 25Information Technology

A network uses a subnet mask of 255.255.255.192. How many usable host addresses does each subnet provide?

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

Explanation

The mask leaves six host bits, giving 2 to the power 6, or 64, addresses, of which two are reserved for the network and broadcast addresses. That leaves 62 usable host addresses.

Question 26Information Technology

Which type of software is an operating system such as Linux classified as?

  1. System software Correct answer.
  2. Application software
  3. Utility firmware
  4. Programming language

Explanation

An operating system manages hardware and provides services to other programs, which places it in the category of system software. Application software, by contrast, performs tasks for the end user and depends on the operating system to run.

Question 27Information Technology

Which number base does the hexadecimal system use?

  1. Base 10
  2. Base 16 Correct answer.
  3. Base 8
  4. Base 2

Explanation

Hexadecimal uses sixteen distinct digits, 0 to 9 followed by A to F, so it is a base-16 system. Each hexadecimal digit maps neatly to four binary bits, which is why it is used as shorthand for binary values.

Question 28Information Technology

Which hardware component carries out the arithmetic and logic operations of a computer?

  1. The system clock
  2. The RAM modules
  3. The arithmetic logic unit Correct answer.
  4. The control unit

Explanation

The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) inside the CPU performs arithmetic such as addition and logical comparisons such as AND and OR. The control unit instead coordinates the fetch-decode-execute cycle and directs data flow.

Question 29Information Technology

A school stores student records in a database. Which term describes a single row holding one student's details?

  1. A table
  2. A key
  3. A record Correct answer.
  4. A field

Explanation

In a relational database a record (or tuple) is one complete row describing a single entity such as one student. Fields are the individual columns within that row, such as name or date of birth.

Question 30Information Technology

Which topology connects every device to a single central switch, so that one cable failure affects only that device?

  1. Star topology Correct answer.
  2. Mesh topology
  3. Bus topology
  4. Ring topology

Explanation

In a star topology each device has its own link to a central hub or switch, so a single cable break isolates only that device. A bus shares one backbone cable, where a break can disable the whole segment.

Question 31Information Technology

Which of these is an example of an input device?

  1. A speaker
  2. A monitor
  3. A plotter
  4. A barcode reader Correct answer.

Explanation

An input device sends data into the computer, and a barcode reader converts printed barcodes into digital data for processing. Monitors, speakers and plotters instead present output to the user.

Question 32Information Technology

Which type of software licence typically allows a user to inspect and modify the source code?

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

Explanation

An open-source licence grants access to the source code and permits modification and redistribution under its terms. Freeware and shareware are usually distributed without source code and restrict modification.

Question 33Information Technology

Which unit is used to measure the clock speed of a processor?

  1. Volts
  2. Megapixels
  3. Bytes
  4. Hertz Correct answer.

Explanation

Clock speed is the number of cycles per second, and the hertz is the unit of frequency, commonly seen as gigahertz on processor specifications. Bytes measure storage capacity and volts measure electrical potential.

Question 34Information Technology

A file of 4 megabytes is transferred over a link running at 8 megabits per second. Approximately how long does the transfer take?

  1. 4 seconds Correct answer.
  2. 32 seconds
  3. 0.5 seconds
  4. 8 seconds

Explanation

Four megabytes equals 32 megabits, since one byte is eight bits. Dividing 32 megabits by 8 megabits per second gives about 4 seconds, ignoring protocol overhead.

Question 35Information Technology

A validation rule checks that a Maltese identity card number has the correct format before it is stored. Which type of validation is this?

  1. Consistency check
  2. Presence check
  3. Format check Correct answer.
  4. Range check

Explanation

A format check verifies that data matches an expected pattern, such as a fixed number of digits and letters. A range check instead tests whether a value lies between limits, and a presence check only tests that something was entered.

Question 36Information Technology

A program stores the value 200 in an 8-bit unsigned integer. What is the binary representation?

  1. 11001000 Correct answer.
  2. 11110000
  3. 10101010
  4. 10000000

Explanation

The value 200 equals 128 plus 64 plus 8, so the bits for 128, 64 and 8 are set, giving 11001000. An 8-bit unsigned integer can hold values from 0 to 255, so 200 fits within the range.

Question 37Information Technology

A student wants to search a sorted array of 1000 items efficiently. Which algorithm is most appropriate?

  1. Binary search Correct answer.
  2. Linear search
  3. Depth-first search
  4. Bubble sort

Explanation

Binary search repeatedly halves a sorted array, so it locates an item in about ten comparisons for 1000 items. A linear search would need up to 1000 comparisons and does not exploit the ordering.

Question 38Information Technology

A web page form submits a password field over an unencrypted HTTP connection. Which risk is most direct?

  1. The server cannot validate the password format
  2. The page will fail to render on mobile devices
  3. The password will be stored in the browser cache only
  4. The password can be read by anyone monitoring the network Correct answer.

Explanation

Plain HTTP sends data as readable text, so an attacker capturing traffic on the path can read the password. Using HTTPS with TLS encrypts the payload and prevents this exposure.

Question 39Information Technology

An e-commerce site must keep a record of every order, including orders later cancelled, for legal reasons. Which action removes a record while preserving the audit trail?

  1. Dropping the whole table and rebuilding it
  2. Physically deleting the row from the table
  3. Removing the primary key from the table
  4. Setting a status flag to mark the order as cancelled Correct answer.

Explanation

A status flag keeps the row in place so the history remains available for audit while the order is treated as cancelled. Physically deleting the row would destroy the evidence the law requires.

Question 40Information Technology

A spreadsheet cell contains =$B$2+C3. What happens when this formula is copied from cell D3 to cell D4?

  1. It becomes =B2+C4
  2. It becomes =$B$2+C3
  3. It becomes =$B$2+C4 Correct answer.
  4. It becomes =$B$3+C4

Explanation

Absolute references such as $B$2 stay fixed when copied, while the relative reference C3 shifts down one row to C4. The result is =$B$2+C4, which keeps the constant in B2 while following the new row.

Question 41Information Technology

A system stores a user's password. Which practice best protects the passwords if the database is stolen?

  1. Storing a salted hash produced by a slow algorithm Correct answer.
  2. Storing the password in a separate text file
  3. Storing the password with its length appended
  4. Storing the plain password in an encrypted column

Explanation

A salted hash with a deliberately slow algorithm makes each password costly to recover by brute force, and the salt prevents precomputed tables from being reused. Reversible encryption means the original password can be recovered if the key is also stolen.

Question 42Information Technology

Which statement describes the purpose of a foreign key in a relational database?

  1. It links a row to a primary key value in another table Correct answer.
  2. It forces every column to hold a numeric value
  3. It automatically sorts the rows of a table
  4. It uniquely identifies each row of its own table

Explanation

A foreign key holds a value that matches a primary key in another table, creating the relationship between the two tables. This enforces referential integrity, so a child row cannot reference a parent that does not exist.

Question 43Information Technology

A program reads a value from the user and divides 100 by it. Which input causes a runtime error that should be handled?

  1. The value 25
  2. The value -5
  3. The value 0 Correct answer.
  4. The value 3.5

Explanation

Division by zero is undefined and raises a runtime error in most languages, so the program must check for it or catch the exception. The other values, including negatives and decimals, produce valid results.

Question 44Information Technology

A company wants staff to access internal files securely from home over the public internet. Which technology creates an encrypted tunnel to the company network?

  1. A dynamic host configuration protocol server
  2. A virtual private network Correct answer.
  3. A simple mail transfer protocol server
  4. A domain name system resolver

Explanation

A virtual private network encrypts traffic between the remote device and the company network, creating a private tunnel across the public internet. The other services handle addressing, name resolution and mail delivery rather than secure remote access.

Question 45Information Technology

Which statement best explains why a compiler may produce faster executable code than an interpreter for the same program?

  1. The compiler removes the need for any input validation
  2. The compiler translates the whole program once into machine code before execution Correct answer.
  3. The compiler runs each statement repeatedly during execution
  4. The compiler stores the source code in the cache at runtime

Explanation

A compiler translates the entire source program into machine code ahead of execution, so the processor runs native instructions without repeated translation. An interpreter translates and executes statements during runtime, adding overhead on each pass.

Question 46Information Technology

A user receives an email claiming to be from a bank and asking them to confirm details through a link. Which attack does this describe?

  1. A brute-force attack
  2. A phishing attack Correct answer.
  3. A denial-of-service attack
  4. A man-in-the-middle attack

Explanation

Phishing deceives users into revealing credentials by impersonating a trusted organisation, often through a link to a fake site. Denial-of-service and brute-force attacks instead target availability and password guessing respectively.

Question 47Information Technology

A function is defined recursively with no base case. What is the most likely consequence when it is called?

  1. It executes in constant time
  2. It returns the value zero immediately
  3. It is converted into a loop automatically
  4. It runs until the call stack overflows Correct answer.

Explanation

Without a base case each call invokes another call, and the growing chain of stack frames eventually exhausts the call stack. Every recursive routine therefore needs a terminating condition that returns without further recursion.

Question 48Information Technology

A database table has a composite primary key made of two columns. Which statement must be true?

  1. Each column taken alone must be unique across all rows
  2. The combination of the two values must be unique across all rows Correct answer.
  3. Neither column may appear in any other table
  4. The table may contain no other columns

Explanation

A composite key enforces uniqueness on the combination of its columns, not on each column separately. Individual columns may repeat as long as no pair of values is duplicated.

Question 49Information Technology

A binary search is run on a sorted array of 1024 elements. What is the maximum number of comparisons needed to conclude a search?

  1. 11 Correct answer.
  2. 10
  3. 32
  4. 1024

Explanation

Binary search halves the remaining range each time, so about log base 2 of 1024, which is 10, halvings are needed. Allowing for the final comparison that confirms absence gives a maximum of 11 comparisons.

Question 50Information Technology

A network must be divided so that each subnet supports at least 50 usable hosts. Which subnet mask provides the smallest subnet that satisfies this?

  1. 255.255.255.224
  2. 255.255.255.128
  3. 255.255.255.240
  4. 255.255.255.192 Correct answer.

Explanation

A mask of 255.255.255.192 leaves six host bits, giving 64 addresses and 62 usable hosts after removing the network and broadcast addresses. The next smaller option, 255.255.255.224, leaves only 30 usable hosts, which is insufficient.