Computer Science/IT MCQs
Topic Notes: Computer Science/IT
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
61
Is it a good idea to have two different antivirus programs running on your computer at the same time?
Answer:
No, they can conflict with each other, leading to system instability and reduced protection.
Running two real-time antivirus scanners simultaneously can cause them to interfere with each other. They might flag each other as malware, block each other's updates, or cause system crashes, ultimately making your computer less secure.
62
A \_\_ is a tiny program hidden in a GIF image.
Answer:
Web bug
A web bug is used to monitor who is reading a web page or email and is often used for tracking purposes.
63
How does signature-based detection work in antivirus software?
Answer:
It compares files on your computer against a database of known malware "signatures" or definitions.
Signature-based detection is the traditional method used by AV software. It maintains a large database of digital signatures for known malware. When it scans a file, it compares that file's signature to the database to look for a match.
64
A "macro virus" is a type of virus that:
Answer:
Is written in a macro language and embedded in documents, such as Word or Excel files.
Macro viruses are spread through documents that use macros, which are small programs used to automate tasks. When a user opens an infected document and enables macros, the virus runs and can infect other documents.
65
In 1999, the Melissa virus was a widely publicized type of computer threat.
Answer:
E-mail virus
The Melissa virus, which appeared in 1999, was a mass-mailing macro virus. It spread rapidly through email by sending itself to the first 50 contacts in a victim's Microsoft Outlook address book, causing significant disruption to email systems worldwide.
66
A "backdoor" in a computer system is:
Answer:
A method of bypassing normal authentication to gain unauthorized remote access to a computer.
A backdoor is a covert method of bypassing security restrictions. It can be a hidden part of a program, a separate program, or a hardware feature. Trojans are often used to create backdoors on a victim's system.
67
What is a "bootable rescue disk" or "rescue USB"?
Answer:
A special type of removable media that can boot a computer and run an antivirus scan outside of the infected operating system.
Some malware, like rootkits, can be very difficult to remove while the operating system is running. A bootable rescue disk allows you to start the computer in a clean, minimal environment to run a deep scan and remove stubborn infections.
68
What is a key security benefit of downloading mobile apps only from official app stores (like the Google Play Store or Apple App Store)?
Answer:
Official stores have a vetting process to scan apps for malware and remove malicious ones, reducing your risk.
While not foolproof, official app stores invest heavily in security, scanning apps for malware and enforcing privacy and security guidelines for developers. Sideloading apps from untrusted, third-party sources is much riskier.
69
What type of malware is designed to replicate itself and spread to other computers, often without any human action?
Answer:
Worm
A worm is a standalone piece of malicious software that replicates itself to spread to other computers. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program and can spread independently through a network.
70
The NotPetya malware attack in 2017 initially appeared to be ransomware, but its primary purpose was later determined to be:
Answer:
Data destruction.
While NotPetya did encrypt files and demand a ransom, security researchers concluded it was actually a "wiper" disguised as ransomware. The payment mechanism was non-functional, and the malware was designed to permanently damage the infected systems, primarily targeting Ukraine.