BEC Information Technology and Systems 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following describes the role of a firewall in IT security?
- Monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules (Correct answer)
- Encrypts all data stored on company servers
- Detects and removes malicious software from endpoints
- Authenticates user identity before granting system access
Correct answer: Monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules
A firewall enforces security rules by filtering network traffic between trusted internal networks and untrusted external networks, blocking unauthorized access.
Question 2: In the context of IT systems, what is the primary purpose of data encryption?
- To protect data confidentiality by converting it into an unreadable format for unauthorized users (Correct answer)
- To compress data files for faster transmission
- To create backup copies of important data
- To organize data into structured database tables
Correct answer: To protect data confidentiality by converting it into an unreadable format for unauthorized users
Encryption transforms data into ciphertext using algorithms and keys, ensuring that only authorized parties with the decryption key can read the information.
Question 3: A recovery time objective (RTO) in disaster recovery planning defines:
- The maximum acceptable time to restore systems after a disruption (Correct answer)
- The maximum amount of data loss measured in time that is acceptable
- The cost to restore systems after a major disaster
- The number of backup systems required for redundancy
Correct answer: The maximum acceptable time to restore systems after a disruption
RTO specifies the maximum tolerable duration for system downtime after a disruption — the target time within which business operations must be restored.
Question 4: Which systems development life cycle (SDLC) phase involves identifying user needs and defining project scope?
- Requirements analysis (systems analysis) (Correct answer)
- System design
- Implementation
- Testing
Correct answer: Requirements analysis (systems analysis)
The requirements analysis phase gathers and documents stakeholder needs, defines the project scope, and establishes the functional and non-functional requirements the system must meet.
Question 5: The concept of 'least privilege' in IT security means users should:
- Have access only to the resources needed to perform their job functions (Correct answer)
- Use the simplest passwords possible to avoid forgetting them
- Share login credentials with supervisors for accountability
- Have administrator rights on their own workstations
Correct answer: Have access only to the resources needed to perform their job functions
The principle of least privilege limits user access rights to the minimum necessary for their job, reducing the attack surface and potential damage from compromised accounts.
Question 6: Cloud computing's 'Software as a Service' (SaaS) model means:
- Applications are hosted by a provider and accessed by users over the internet (Correct answer)
- Users rent computing infrastructure such as servers and storage
- A platform is provided for developers to build and deploy applications
- Software licenses are sold on a perpetual basis to the customer
Correct answer: Applications are hosted by a provider and accessed by users over the internet
SaaS delivers software applications over the internet on a subscription basis, with the provider managing infrastructure, maintenance, and updates while users access the software via web browser.
BEC Information Technology and Systems 2
Which of the following describes the role of a firewall in IT security?