Practice Cybersecurity MCQs for NBP Officer Grade (IBA / NTS) Computer Science — topic-wise sets with solved answers.
Q1. In 1999, the Melissa virus was a widely publicized:
Answer: Macro virus
Explanation: The Melissa virus (1999) was a macro virus that spread via infected Word document email attachments, exploiting Microsoft Word's macro feature to replicate itself.
Q2. Which of the following is not anti-virus software?
Answer: Oracle
Explanation: Oracle is a database management system and enterprise software company, not an antivirus product; Avira, Kaspersky, and McAfee are all antivirus solutions.
Q3. Cracking refers to electronic trespassing or criminal hacking.
Answer: Cracking
Explanation: Cracking refers to unauthorized intrusion into computer systems, specifically criminal hacking intended to bypass security for malicious purposes.
Q4. A type of malware often disguised as legitimate software is:
Answer: Trojan Horse
Explanation: A Trojan Horse is malware disguised as legitimate software; once installed, it can create backdoors, steal data, or allow unauthorized access.
Q5. The first boot sector virus is Brain.
Answer: Brain
Explanation: Brain is the right answer. This tests practical computer literacy expected in clerical, banking, and IT operator recruitment papers.
Q6. The most widely spread computer virus was:
Answer: I love you
Explanation: I love you is the right answer. This tests practical computer literacy expected in clerical, banking, and IT operator recruitment papers.
Q7. Phishing is used for:
Answer: A type of cyber-attack aimed at stealing personal information through fraudulent
Explanation: Phishing is a social engineering cyber-attack where fraudulent emails, websites, or messages impersonate legitimate entities to trick users into revealing personal or financial information.
Q8. Brain virus was created by _____ brothers.
Answer: Pakistani
Explanation: The Brain virus, considered the first PC virus (1986), was created by Pakistani brothers Basit and Amjad Farooq Alvi to protect their software from piracy.
Q9. What type of virus uses computer hosts to reproduce itself?
Answer: Worm
Explanation: A worm is a type of malware that replicates itself by exploiting computer hosts and network connections to spread, without needing to attach to a file.
Q10. A computer virus is:
Answer: A computer program
Explanation: A computer virus is a malicious program (software) that attaches itself to legitimate files and replicates, potentially damaging data or disrupting system operations.
Q11. The thing that eventually terminates a worm virus is a lack of:
Answer: Memory or disk space
Explanation: A worm continuously replicates itself and spreads across a network, consuming memory and disk space until those resources are exhausted, which eventually stops it.
Q12. A Computer Virus is a:
Answer: Software
Explanation: Software is the right answer. This tests practical computer literacy expected in clerical, banking, and IT operator recruitment papers.
Q13. Which mechanism is used by the computer virus 'worm' to duplicate itself?
Answer: Spawn
Explanation: A worm duplicates itself by spawning copies - it self-replicates across networks by creating new processes without needing to attach to a host program.
Q14. A polymorphic virus changes each time it is installed to avoid detection by antivirus software.
Answer: Polymorphic virus
Explanation: A polymorphic virus mutates its own code each time it replicates or infects a new file, altering its signature to evade detection by antivirus programs that rely on pattern matching.
Q15. What is the use of a firewall in a computer?
Answer: Protect against unauthorized access and threats
Explanation: A firewall monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules, protecting a computer or network from unauthorized access and cyber threats.
Q16. Which type of malware encrypts victims' files and demands a ransom payment for the decryption key?
Answer: Ransomware
Explanation: Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts a victim's files and demands a ransom payment, typically in cryptocurrency, in exchange for the decryption key.
Q17. Phishing attacks attempt to?
Answer: Steal sensitive information by impersonating trusted entities
Explanation: Phishing is a social engineering attack where cybercriminals impersonate trusted entities (banks, services) via fake emails or websites to trick users into revealing passwords or financial information.
Q18. Encryption converts plain text into unreadable?
Answer: Cipher text
Explanation: Encryption transforms readable plaintext into scrambled cipher text using an algorithm and key, making data unreadable to anyone without the correct decryption key.
Q19. A firewall is primarily used to:
Answer: Monitor and control network traffic
Explanation: A firewall inspects incoming and outgoing network traffic and enforces security rules (allow/deny) to protect a network from unauthorized access and threats.
Q20. What does the term "phishing" refer to in cybersecurity?
Answer: Fraudulently obtaining sensitive information by impersonation
Explanation: Phishing is a social engineering attack where criminals impersonate trusted entities (banks, services) via fake emails or websites to trick victims into revealing credentials or sensitive data.
Loading...