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
2661
Why do many malware infections go unnoticed by the average user for a long time?
Answer:
Modern malware, like spyware and rootkits, is designed to be as stealthy as possible to avoid detection.
The goal of many types of malware is to remain on a system for as long as possible to continue stealing data or using the computer's resources. To achieve this, they are designed to be stealthy, operating in the background and avoiding any obvious symptoms.
2662
Your computer's firewall alerts you that a program you don't recognize is trying to access the internet. This could be:
Answer:
Malware attempting to "phone home" to its command-and-control server.
A key function of a firewall is to monitor and control network traffic. An alert about an unknown program trying to make an outbound connection is a significant red flag that malware may be trying to send stolen data or receive instructions from an attacker.
2663
How can a worm like WannaCry spread so quickly through a corporate network?
Answer:
By exploiting an unpatched vulnerability in the Windows operating system.
The WannaCry ransomware worm spread rapidly by exploiting a known vulnerability in the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol in Microsoft Windows. It could autonomously scan for and infect other vulnerable computers on the same network without any user interaction.
2664
What made the Stuxnet worm, discovered in 2010, particularly famous and significant?
Answer:
It was designed to cause physical damage to industrial equipment (specifically, Iranian nuclear centrifuges).
Stuxnet is considered the first true cyber-weapon. It was a highly sophisticated worm that targeted specific industrial control systems (ICS) and manipulated them to cause physical destruction, demonstrating that malware could bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds.
2665
What is a "drive-by download"?
Answer:
An infection method where malware is automatically downloaded to a computer just by visiting a compromised website.
A drive-by download is a stealthy attack where a user doesn't need to click anything or approve a download to become infected. Simply loading a malicious webpage can be enough to trigger the malware download and execution.
2666
What was the target of the Triton (also known as Trisis) malware, discovered in 2017?
Answer:
Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) in industrial plants.
Triton is an extremely dangerous piece of malware because it specifically targets Safety Instrumented Systems, which are the last line of automated defense against a catastrophic failure in an industrial facility. By compromising the SIS, the malware could cause immense physical damage and loss of life.
2667
What is a "heuristic sensitivity level" setting in an antivirus program?
Answer:
It allows you to adjust how aggressive the heuristic analysis is when looking for suspicious behavior.
A higher sensitivity level will make the antivirus more likely to catch new malware, but it also increases the risk of false positives (flagging legitimate files as malicious). A lower level does the opposite.
2668
Which deceptive program appears legitimate but harms executable files?
Answer:
Trojan Horse
Trojans mislead users by imitating safe applications while containing malicious code.
2669
What country's infrastructure was the primary target of the BlackEnergy malware attacks in 2015?
Answer:
Ukraine
The BlackEnergy malware was used in a sophisticated cyberattack against Ukraine's power grid, which resulted in a large-scale power outage. It was one of the first confirmed instances of a cyberattack taking down a nation's power grid.
2670
Which term refers to software designed to disrupt normal computer operations?
Answer:
Malware
Malware is malicious software that harms systems by corrupting files or disrupting services.