Computer Knowledge · General Awareness

Information Security

4,634 Questions

Information security involves protecting computer systems and data from unauthorized access, cyber threats, and damage. It is a core part of the computer knowledge section in various banking and government exams. Practicing these concepts helps in understanding digital signatures, network security, and access control effectively.

Cybersecurity threatsAccess controlCryptography basicsSecurity risk managementDatabase protection

Information Security Questions

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Heap overflow

  2. Integer overflow

  3. Off by one error

  4. None of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The loop condition is i < 3 but i starts at 0 and is incremented before the array write: i++ makes i=1 in the first iteration (writing to k[1]), then i=2 (k[2]), and i=3 (k[3]). Since k has size 3, writing to index 3 is an off-by-one out-of-bounds write.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Content Spoofing

  2. HTTP Response Splitting

  3. Directory Listing

  4. a & b

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The code unsafely concatenates a user-controlled parameter directly into the redirect header location. This allows attackers to perform CRLF injection to inject headers, leading to HTTP response splitting, and craft arbitrary redirects, leading to content spoofing (phishing) attacks.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Line # 4

  2. Line # 13 & 20

  3. Line # 7 & 8

  4. None of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Lines 7 and 8 contain the security vulnerabilities. Line 7 loads the obsolete and insecure JDBC-ODBC bridge driver. Line 8 contains hardcoded database credentials ("admin"/"admin"), exposing the application to credential theft and unauthorized access.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Size of the attack surface

  2. Number of roles

  3. Number of lines of code

  4. Size of the chroot jail

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Managed code runs within a virtual machine or runtime environment (like JVM or CLR) that enforces type safety, memory management, and array bounds checking. This significantly reduces the attack surface by eliminating entire classes of low-level memory corruption vulnerabilities like buffer overflows.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Users

  2. Security administrators

  3. System administrator

  4. Management

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Management is ultimately responsible for directing organization-wide security posture, policies, and legally required notifications to authorities following a security incident. Security and system administrators handle technical response and reporting to management, while users report anomalies internally.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Authentication

  2. Authorization

  3. Auditing

  4. Confidentiality

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Authorization is the correct mitigation for elevation of privilege threats because it directly controls what actions users can perform. By implementing proper authorization (such as principle of least privilege, role-based access control, and permission checks), you ensure users cannot exceed their intended access level. Authentication (A) verifies identity but doesn't prevent privilege escalation. Auditing (C) detects violations but doesn't prevent them. Confidentiality (D) protects data secrecy, not privilege levels.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Integrity

  2. Availability

  3. Auditing

  4. Confidentiality

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Integrity is the correct mitigation for tampering threats because it ensures data and system state remain unmodified. Tampering attacks attempt to modify data or code in unauthorized ways, so integrity mechanisms like digital signatures, hash verification, checksums, and write protections directly counter this threat. Availability (B) ensures system uptime, not data authenticity. Auditing (C) tracks changes but doesn't prevent them. Confidentiality (D) protects secrecy, not modification.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Encryption

  2. Hashing

  3. Recovery

  4. Redundancy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Encryption is the correct answer because it directly preserves confidentiality by making data unreadable to unauthorized parties. Encryption transforms plaintext into ciphertext that can only be read by parties with the decryption key. Hashing (B) provides integrity verification, not confidentiality. Recovery (C) is about restoring data after loss, not protecting secrecy. Redundancy (D) ensures availability through duplication, not confidentiality.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Increased stability as the programs are protected against viral attack

  2. Enhanced reliability as users can no longer modify source code

  3. Reduced breaches of policy due to disclosure of information

  4. Possible denial of service if the keys are corrupted

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

To solve this question, the user needs to know about the advantages and disadvantages of integrating cryptography into applications.

Option A is incorrect because it states cryptography brings increased stability as the programs are protected against viral attack. Cryptography can help protect against viral attacks to some extent, but it does not guarantee increased stability.

Option B is incorrect because it states that cryptography enhances reliability since users can no longer modify source code. This is not true as cryptography does not prevent users from modifying source code, but rather it helps protect sensitive data.

Option C is also incorrect because it states that cryptography reduces breaches of policy due to disclosure of information. Cryptography can help protect against data breaches but does not prevent them entirely.

Option D is the correct answer because possible denial of service (DoS) attacks can occur if the keys used for cryptography are corrupted. Once the keys are corrupted, the system will be unable to decrypt messages, which can lead to a DoS attack.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

The Answer is: D. Possible denial of service if the keys are corrupted

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Denial of service

  2. Social engineering

  3. Malware

  4. Spyware

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Phishing is a type of social engineering attack. Social engineering attacks exploit human psychology to trick people into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links. Phishing attacks typically involve sending emails or text messages that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or credit card company. The emails or text messages will often contain a link that, when clicked, will take the victim to a fake website that looks like the real website. Once the victim enters their personal information on the fake website, the attacker can steal it.

Malware, spyware, and denial of service attacks are all different types of cybersecurity attacks. Malware is software that is designed to harm a computer system. Spyware is software that is designed to collect information about a user's computer activities. Denial of service attacks are designed to make a computer system unavailable to its intended users.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. Social engineering.

Here is a table that summarizes the differences between phishing and the other three options:

Attack type Description
Phishing A type of social engineering attack that exploits human psychology to trick people into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.
Malware Software that is designed to harm a computer system.
Spyware Software that is designed to collect information about a user's computer activities.
Denial of service A type of cybersecurity attack that is designed to make a computer system unavailable to its intended users.
Multiple choice technology security
  1. Physical break-ins

  2. System misuse

  3. Unauthorized changes to system files

  4. SPAM

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Intrusion detection systems (IDS) analyze traffic and host behavior to identify malicious activity like system misuse, unauthorized file changes, and physical break-ins (via host sensors). They are not designed to filter unsolicited bulk email (SPAM), which is handled by email gateways.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Hackers

  2. Flaws

  3. Policy failures

  4. Weaknesses

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

To answer this question, the user needs to know what vulnerability is. In the context of cybersecurity, vulnerability refers to a weakness in a system that can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access, cause damage, steal data, or disrupt services.

Now, let's go through each option and explain whether it gives rise to a vulnerability:

A. Hackers: This option is correct. Hackers are not a vulnerability themselves but rather a threat that can exploit vulnerabilities. They are individuals or groups who attempt to gain unauthorized access to systems or networks for malicious purposes. While hackers can cause damage if they successfully exploit a vulnerability, they are not the source of the vulnerability itself.

B. Flaws: This option is incorrect. Flaws, such as coding errors or design weaknesses, can create vulnerabilities in systems that can be exploited by attackers. Flaws are one of the primary sources of vulnerabilities and are often exploited by hackers to gain access to systems or data.

C. Policy failures: This option is incorrect. Policy failures, such as weak passwords or lack of access controls, can create vulnerabilities in systems that can be exploited by attackers. Policy failures are another source of vulnerabilities and are often exploited by hackers to gain access to systems or data.

D. Weaknesses: This option is incorrect. Weaknesses, such as outdated software or unpatched vulnerabilities, can create vulnerabilities in systems that can be exploited by attackers. Weaknesses are yet another source of vulnerabilities and are often exploited by hackers to gain access to systems or data.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

The Answer is: A. Hackers

Multiple choice technology security
  1. A screening router

  2. A firewall

  3. A proxy server

  4. None of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Screening routers, firewalls, and proxy servers are all standard components used at network perimeters to filter traffic and enforce security. Since all listed devices should be part of a perimeter defense, the correct choice is none of the above.

Multiple choice technology security
  1. Lack of physical access control

  2. Demonstrably insecure standards

  3. Implementation weaknesses

  4. War driving

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Lack of physical access control is the principal security risk of wireless LANs because wireless signals extend beyond physical boundaries, making it impossible to control who can physically access the network medium. Unlike wired networks where an attacker needs physical access to a port or cable, wireless networks are accessible to anyone within signal range. War driving (D) is a technique that exploits this vulnerability, not a root cause. While weak standards (B) and implementation flaws (C) are real risks, the fundamental issue is the inability to enforce physical boundaries.