Cyber Security and IT MCQ Test

1. What is cyber security?

• A. Protecting systems, networks and data from digital attacks
• B. Building faster computers
• C. Designing websites
• D. Managing databases

Answer: Protecting systems, networks and data from digital attacks

2. What does the CIA triad stand for in information security?

• A. Control, Integrity, Access
• B. Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
• C. Cipher, Identity, Authorisation
• D. Computer, Internet, Application

Answer: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability

3. Which CIA principle ensures data is not altered by unauthorised parties?

• A. Confidentiality
• B. Integrity
• C. Availability
• D. Authentication

Answer: Integrity

4. Which CIA principle ensures data is accessible when needed?

• A. Confidentiality
• B. Integrity
• C. Availability
• D. Accountability

Answer: Availability

5. What is a computer virus?

• A. A hardware fault
• B. Malicious code that attaches to a program and spreads when it runs
• C. A slow internet connection
• D. A backup utility

Answer: Malicious code that attaches to a program and spreads when it runs

6. How does a worm differ from a virus?

• A. A worm needs a host program
• B. A worm spreads on its own without needing a host program
• C. A worm is harmless
• D. A worm only affects printers

Answer: A worm spreads on its own without needing a host program

7. What is a Trojan horse in computing?

• A. A hardware device
• B. Malware disguised as legitimate software
• C. A firewall type
• D. An encryption method

Answer: Malware disguised as legitimate software

8. What is ransomware?

• A. Free software
• B. Malware that encrypts files and demands payment to unlock them
• C. A backup tool
• D. An antivirus program

Answer: Malware that encrypts files and demands payment to unlock them

9. What is spyware?

• A. Software that secretly gathers information about a user
• B. A firewall
• C. A web browser
• D. A disk cleaner

Answer: Software that secretly gathers information about a user

10. What is phishing?

• A. A network scanning technique
• B. Tricking users into revealing sensitive information through fake messages
• C. Encrypting a hard disk
• D. Compressing files

Answer: Tricking users into revealing sensitive information through fake messages

11. What is a DoS attack?

• A. Disk Operating System error
• B. An attack that overwhelms a service so legitimate users cannot access it
• C. A password cracking method
• D. A type of encryption

Answer: An attack that overwhelms a service so legitimate users cannot access it

12. What distinguishes a DDoS attack from a DoS attack?

• A. It is slower
• B. It comes from many distributed sources at once
• C. It targets only websites
• D. It requires physical access

Answer: It comes from many distributed sources at once

13. What is a brute force attack?

• A. Physically breaking a computer
• B. Trying every possible password combination until one works
• C. Sending fake emails
• D. Installing a virus

Answer: Trying every possible password combination until one works

14. What is SQL injection?

• A. Adding data to a database normally
• B. Inserting malicious SQL through user input to manipulate a database
• C. A backup method
• D. A database index

Answer: Inserting malicious SQL through user input to manipulate a database

15. What is a man-in-the-middle attack?

• A. An attacker secretly intercepting communication between two parties
• B. A physical break-in
• C. A virus in an email
• D. A hardware failure

Answer: An attacker secretly intercepting communication between two parties

16. What is social engineering in security?

• A. Designing social networks
• B. Manipulating people into giving away confidential information
• C. Building secure servers
• D. Writing security policies

Answer: Manipulating people into giving away confidential information

17. What is encryption?

• A. Deleting data permanently
• B. Converting data into an unreadable form that only authorised parties can decode
• C. Compressing data
• D. Backing up data

Answer: Converting data into an unreadable form that only authorised parties can decode

18. What is symmetric encryption?

• A. Using the same key to encrypt and decrypt
• B. Using two different keys
• C. Encrypting without a key
• D. Encrypting only text

Answer: Using the same key to encrypt and decrypt

19. What is asymmetric encryption also known as?

• A. Secret key cryptography
• B. Public key cryptography
• C. Hash cryptography
• D. Stream cryptography

Answer: Public key cryptography

20. In public key cryptography, which key is shared openly?

• A. The private key
• B. The public key
• C. Both keys
• D. Neither key

Answer: The public key

21. Which of these is a widely used symmetric encryption algorithm?

• A. RSA
• B. AES
• C. SHA-256
• D. MD5

Answer: AES

22. Which of these is a widely used asymmetric encryption algorithm?

• A. AES
• B. RSA
• C. DES
• D. Blowfish

Answer: RSA

23. What is a hash function used for?

• A. Encrypting reversible data
• B. Producing a fixed-length fingerprint of data that cannot be reversed
• C. Compressing files
• D. Speeding up networks

Answer: Producing a fixed-length fingerprint of data that cannot be reversed

24. Which of these is a cryptographic hash algorithm?

• A. AES
• B. SHA-256
• C. RSA
• D. TLS

Answer: SHA-256

25. What is a digital signature used to verify?

• A. File size
• B. The authenticity and integrity of a message or document
• C. Network speed
• D. Screen resolution

Answer: The authenticity and integrity of a message or document

26. What is a digital certificate?

• A. A printed award
• B. An electronic document that binds a public key to an identity
• C. A password file
• D. A software licence

Answer: An electronic document that binds a public key to an identity

27. What is two-factor authentication?

• A. Using two passwords
• B. Verifying identity with two different types of evidence
• C. Logging in twice
• D. Using two computers

Answer: Verifying identity with two different types of evidence

28. Which of these is the strongest password?

• A. password123
• B. Rk#9vQ!2mZ@7
• C. abcdefgh
• D. 12345678

Answer: Rk#9vQ!2mZ@7

29. What is a firewall?

• A. A physical barrier
• B. A system that filters network traffic based on security rules
• C. An antivirus program
• D. A backup device

Answer: A system that filters network traffic based on security rules

30. What is an IDS in network security?

• A. Internet Data Server
• B. Intrusion Detection System
• C. Internal Domain Service
• D. Integrated Disk Storage

Answer: Intrusion Detection System

31. What is the purpose of a VPN?

• A. To speed up downloads
• B. To create a secure encrypted tunnel over a public network
• C. To block advertisements
• D. To store passwords

Answer: To create a secure encrypted tunnel over a public network

32. What is ethical hacking?

• A. Illegal hacking
• B. Authorised testing of systems to find and fix security weaknesses
• C. Stealing data for research
• D. Writing viruses

Answer: Authorised testing of systems to find and fix security weaknesses

33. What is a security patch?

• A. A physical repair
• B. A software update that fixes a known vulnerability
• C. A firewall rule
• D. A password reset

Answer: A software update that fixes a known vulnerability

34. What is a zero-day vulnerability?

• A. A flaw fixed on the first day
• B. A flaw unknown to the vendor with no patch yet available
• C. A flaw in old software only
• D. A hardware fault

Answer: A flaw unknown to the vendor with no patch yet available

35. What is a backup used for?

• A. Making the computer faster
• B. Restoring data after loss or corruption
• C. Encrypting files
• D. Blocking malware

Answer: Restoring data after loss or corruption

36. Which backup type copies only files changed since the last backup of any kind?

• A. Full backup
• B. Incremental backup
• C. Differential backup
• D. Mirror backup

Answer: Incremental backup

37. Which backup type copies all files changed since the last full backup?

• A. Incremental
• B. Differential
• C. Full
• D. Snapshot

Answer: Differential

38. What does the padlock icon in a browser address bar indicate?

• A. The site is fast
• B. The connection is encrypted with HTTPS
• C. The site is free
• D. The site has no ads

Answer: The connection is encrypted with HTTPS

39. What is spam?

• A. A type of virus
• B. Unsolicited bulk email
• C. A hardware device
• D. A backup format

Answer: Unsolicited bulk email

40. What is adware?

• A. Software that displays unwanted advertisements
• B. An antivirus tool
• C. A firewall
• D. A backup service

Answer: Software that displays unwanted advertisements

41. What does a keylogger do?

• A. Speeds up typing
• B. Secretly records the keys a user presses
• C. Cleans the keyboard
• D. Backs up documents

Answer: Secretly records the keys a user presses

42. What is the primary purpose of antivirus software?

• A. To detect, prevent and remove malicious software
• B. To speed up the internet
• C. To design graphics
• D. To manage files

Answer: To detect, prevent and remove malicious software

43. What is a botnet?

• A. A social network
• B. A network of compromised computers controlled by an attacker
• C. A search engine
• D. A type of firewall

Answer: A network of compromised computers controlled by an attacker

44. What does IT stand for?

• A. Internal Transfer
• B. Information Technology
• C. Integrated Terminal
• D. Internet Telephony

Answer: Information Technology

45. What is cloud computing?

• A. Computing during bad weather
• B. Delivering computing services over the internet on demand
• C. Wireless networking
• D. Offline storage

Answer: Delivering computing services over the internet on demand

46. Which cloud model delivers software over the internet to end users?

• A. IaaS
• B. PaaS
• C. SaaS
• D. DaaS

Answer: SaaS

47. Which cloud model provides virtual machines and storage?

• A. SaaS
• B. IaaS
• C. PaaS
• D. FaaS

Answer: IaaS

48. What is e-governance?

• A. Electronic voting only
• B. Using IT to deliver government services to citizens
• C. A private company service
• D. Online banking

Answer: Using IT to deliver government services to citizens

49. What is a digital signature certificate commonly used for in India?

• A. Playing media
• B. Signing electronic documents such as tax and tender filings
• C. Browsing the web
• D. Sending SMS

Answer: Signing electronic documents such as tax and tender filings

50. Which Indian act deals with cybercrime and electronic commerce?

• A. The Companies Act
• B. The Information Technology Act, 2000
• C. The Copyright Act
• D. The Contract Act

Answer: The Information Technology Act, 2000