Lesson 1.4.1

1.4.1 Threats to computer systems and networks Quiz: OCR Computer Science, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 1.4.1, Threats to computer systems and networks: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR GCSE Computer Science (J277), Unit 4: Network security, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What term describes software designed to damage or disrupt a computer system?

    • Freeware
    • Shareware
    • Malware
    • Firmware

  2. What social engineering attack uses fake emails to trick users into revealing personal data?

    • Brute-force
    • Phishing
    • Spyware
    • Interception

  3. Which attack involves trying many combinations of a password until the correct one is found?

    • Denial of service
    • Phishing
    • SQL injection
    • Brute-force attack

  4. What is the main purpose of a Denial of Service attack?

    • Stealing passwords
    • Injecting code
    • Cracking hashes
    • Overwhelming systems

  5. What type of attack involves inserting malicious commands into input boxes to access databases?

    • Packet sniffing
    • SQL injection
    • Phishing
    • Buffer overflow

  6. What security threat involves capturing data packets as they travel across a network?

    • SQL injection
    • Brute-force
    • Denial of service
    • Data interception

  7. Which attack relies on manipulating people rather than technology?

    • Social engineering
    • Denial of service
    • SQL injection
    • Brute-force attack

  8. Which term describes malicious code that attaches itself to files and spreads?

    • Spyware
    • Trojan
    • Worm
    • Virus

  9. A login form passes whatever the user types directly into a database query. Which attack is possible?

    • Data interception
    • Denial of service
    • Brute-force attack
    • SQL injection

  10. A worker receives a phone call from someone posing as IT support asking for their password. Which threat is this?

    • Social engineering
    • SQL injection
    • Denial of service
    • Malware

  11. An attacker captures unencrypted data travelling on a public Wi-Fi network. Which threat is this?

    • SQL injection
    • Phishing
    • Data interception
    • Brute-force attack

  12. A user installs a free program that secretly records keystrokes. Which category does it belong to?

    • Malware
    • Brute-force attack
    • Social engineering
    • Denial of service

  13. What is the primary purpose of a denial of service attack?

    • Disrupt service availability
    • Steal user passwords
    • Modify database records
    • Encrypt local files

  14. Why is a person often described as the weakest point in security?

    • Weak encryption keys
    • Hardware manufacturing flaws
    • Outdated operating systems
    • Social engineering manipulation

  15. Which malware type encrypts user files and demands payment?

    • Rootkit
    • Keylogger
    • Ransomware
    • Adware

  16. What vulnerability is exploited when malicious commands are entered into web input boxes?

    • Network sniffing
    • SQL injection
    • Buffer overflow
    • IP spoofing

  17. Why is a distributed denial of service attack harder to stop than a single-source attack?

    • Faster transmission speeds
    • Multiple IP sources
    • Smaller packet sizes
    • Encrypted packet headers

  18. Which attack involves silently listening to network traffic without altering data?

    • Brute-force attack
    • Denial of service
    • SQL injection
    • Data interception

  19. Which security measure directly counters phishing and human error?

    • Disk encryption
    • Staff training
    • Firewall installation
    • Clock synchronisation

  20. Why do longer passwords increase protection against brute-force attacks?

    • Slower transmission rate
    • Larger file size
    • More possible combinations
    • Stronger encryption algorithm

All OCR Computer Science quizzes