Security, privacy and data integrity: past paper questions

Where the questions come from

• Question 4May/June 2026, paper 11Structured18 marks

  A shop allows customers to pay to borrow toys. The shop uses a database to record information about the customers and the toys they have borrowed.

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Structured9 marks

  One ethical consideration for a student connecting their personal computer to the school network is the risk of spreading malware on the network. Viruses and pharming are examples of malware. Explain what is meant by a virus and pharming.

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• Question 4Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Structured10 marks

  A program is written in a high-level language by a team of three programmers using an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Describe how the programmers can use the debugging features of a typical IDE during the development of the program.

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Structured6 marks

  State the meaning of privacy of data.

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• Question 2May/June 2026, paper 12Structured13 marks

  Personal data is entered into a computer using a keyboard. The data is validated and verified during data entry. Describe two methods of data verification that can be used during data entry.

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice2 marksHas a diagram

  Draw one line from each verification method to indicate whether it is used during data transfer or data entry.

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• Question 5May/June 2024, paper 11Structured16 marks

  A bank allows customers to access their accounts using an application that they can download onto a device such as a smartphone. The system that allows customers to access their accounts using the application is a client-server model.

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Structured7 marks

  Data verification is one method of protecting the integrity of data. Describe one other method of protecting the integrity of data.

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• Question 1May/June 2026, paper 13Structured5 marks

  Validation and verification can be used to protect the integrity of data. Complete the description of methods of ensuring data integrity by writing the missing terms.

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Structured13 marksHas a diagram

  A local area network (LAN) has five computers, one switch and one server. Describe the characteristics of a LAN.

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• Question 3May/June 2024, paper 12Structured14 marks

  An assessment board scans exam papers and stores the digitised papers on a server. Exam markers download the digitised papers to mark. The exam markers then upload the mark for each paper.

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• Question 4May/June 2023, paper 13Structured17 marks

  A shop rents cars to customers. The shop uses a relational database to store information about the rentals. Describe two ways in which a relational database addresses the limitations of a file-based approach.

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Structured6 marks

  A sound file is compressed by reducing the sampling rate. State whether this is lossless or lossy compression.

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• Question 7May/June 2024, paper 13Structured22 marksHas a diagram

  Robots are used to serve food and drink to customers at a restaurant. A robot navigates through the restaurant to the table it is serving. Complete the table by identifying two sensors that can be included in the robot and the purpose of each sensor in the navigation system.

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• Question 6May/June 2023, paper 13Structured7 marks

  Data needs to be kept secure when stored on a computer and during transmission over a network. Explain how a digital signature is used to authenticate a digital document during transmission over a network.

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Structured7 marks

  A programmer is developing a computer program. Explain how the programmer can first use an interpreter and then a compiler to develop the computer program.

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2025, paper 13Structured14 marks

  A digital video camera records students in a classroom. The data is transferred from the digital video camera over the internet to a server.

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• Question 6Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured9 marks

  Students are learning about a simple check digit method for data validation. In this method, a single check digit is appended to the end of an original number to give a new number.

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• Question 7May/June 2025, paper 11Structured11 marks

  A banker stores personal data on their work computer. The banker needs to transfer confidential data across the internet.

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• Question 3May/June 2025, paper 13Structured15 marks

  A programmer is writing a program in a high-level language. Complete the description of compilers and interpreters by writing the missing words.

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