General IT Fundamentals – 100 Examination Questions and Answers

SECTION A: Computer Basics (1–20)

Q: What does “IT” stand for?

A: Information Technology.

Q: Who is known as the father of the computer?

A: Charles Babbage.

Q: What is the main function of a CPU?

A: To process instructions and manage all operations of a computer.

Q: What does “ALU” stand for?

A: Arithmetic Logic Unit.

Q: What is the brain of the computer?

A: CPU (Central Processing Unit).

Q: What is an input device?

A: A device used to send data to a computer (e.g., keyboard, mouse).

Q: Give two examples of output devices.

A: Monitor, Printer.

Q: What is the full meaning of BIOS?

A: Basic Input/Output System.

Q: Define hardware.

A: The physical components of a computer system.

Q: Define software.

A: A set of instructions that tells the computer what to do.

Q: Name two types of software.

A: System software and Application software.

Q: What is an operating system?

A: Software that manages hardware and software resources on a computer.

Q: Give two examples of operating systems.

A: Windows, Linux.

Q: What is a file extension?

A: The suffix at the end of a filename that indicates its type (e.g., .docx, .jpg).

Q: What is booting?

A: The process of starting a computer and loading the operating system.

Q: What is a motherboard?

A: The main circuit board that connects all computer components.

Q: Define peripheral device.

A: Any external device connected to a computer (e.g., printer, scanner).

Q: What is a computer virus?

A: A malicious program that can harm or disrupt computer operations.

Q: What is antivirus software?

A: A program used to detect and remove viruses.

Q: What is a driver?

A: Software that allows the operating system to communicate with hardware devices.

🌐 SECTION B: Networking & Internet (21–40)

Q: What does LAN stand for?

A: Local Area Network.

Q: What is WAN?

A: Wide Area Network — connects multiple LANs over large distances.

Q: Define the Internet.

A: A global network connecting millions of computers.

Q: What does IP stand for?

A: Internet Protocol.

Q: What is an IP address?

A: A unique number assigned to every device connected to a network.

Q: What does “Wi-Fi” mean?

A: Wireless Fidelity — wireless networking technology.

Q: What is a router?

A: A device that forwards data between computer networks.

Q: Define network topology.

A: The physical or logical arrangement of network devices.

Q: Name two types of network topologies.

A: Star and Bus topology.

Q: What is a modem?

A: A device that converts digital data to analog for transmission and vice versa.

Q: What is bandwidth?

A: The amount of data that can be transmitted over a network in a given time.

Q: What is a firewall?

A: Security software or hardware that filters network traffic.

Q: What is a domain name?

A: A human-readable address of a website (e.g., www.google.com

).

Q: What is DNS?

A: Domain Name System — converts domain names to IP addresses.

Q: What does HTTP stand for?

A: Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

Q: What is HTTPS?

A: Secure version of HTTP — encrypts data between browser and server.

Q: What is cloud computing?

A: Delivering computing services (storage, software) over the Internet.

Q: What is VPN?

A: Virtual Private Network — a secure connection over the internet.

Q: What is Ethernet?

A: A standard technology for wired local networks.

Q: What is network security?

A: Protecting data and systems from unauthorized access or attack.

SECTION C: Data, Storage & Databases (41–60)

Q: What is data?

A: Raw facts and figures before processing.

Q: What is information?

A: Processed data that is meaningful and useful.

Q: What is a database?

A: An organized collection of related data.

Q: What is DBMS?

A: Database Management System — software for managing databases.

Q: Give two examples of DBMS.

A: MySQL, Oracle.

Q: What is a record in a database?

A: A collection of related data fields.

Q: What is a field?

A: A single data item in a record (e.g., Name, Age).

Q: What is a primary key?

A: A unique identifier for each record in a database.

Q: What is a backup?

A: A copy of data kept to prevent loss.

Q: What is storage device?

A: Hardware used to save data (e.g., hard drive, SSD).

Q: What is the difference between RAM and ROM?

A: RAM is temporary memory; ROM is permanent.

Q: What does SSD stand for?

A: Solid State Drive.

Q: What is a hard disk?

A: A magnetic storage device used for data storage.

Q: What is a bit?

A: The smallest unit of data — represents 0 or 1.

Q: How many bits make a byte?

A: 8 bits.

Q: What is a kilobyte (KB)?

A: Approximately 1024 bytes.

Q: What is data encryption?

A: Converting data into a coded format to prevent unauthorized access.

Q: What is data integrity?

A: Ensuring accuracy and consistency of data over time.

Q: What is a query?

A: A request for data retrieval from a database.

Q: What is data mining?

A: Analyzing large data sets to discover patterns and insights.

 SECTION D: Cybersecurity & Ethics (61–80)

Q: What is cybersecurity?

A: Protecting computer systems and networks from digital attacks.

Q: What is phishing?

A: A fraudulent attempt to steal sensitive information via fake emails or websites.

Q: What is hacking?

A: Unauthorized access to computer systems.

Q: What is malware?

A: Malicious software designed to damage or steal data.

Q: Name three types of malware.

A: Virus, Worm, Trojan horse.

Q: What is ransomware?

A: Malware that encrypts data and demands payment for decryption.

Q: What is authentication?

A: Verifying the identity of a user or system.

Q: What is a password policy?

A: Rules to ensure strong and secure passwords.

Q: What is digital footprint?

A: The trail of data you leave behind while using the internet.

Q: What is social engineering?

A: Manipulating people into revealing confidential information.

Q: What is a security breach?

A: Unauthorized access to confidential data.

Q: What is two-factor authentication?

A: A security process using two different forms of identification.

Q: What is data privacy?

A: Protecting personal information from misuse.

Q: What is cyberbullying?

A: Harassment or bullying through digital means.

Q: What is spyware?

A: Software that secretly collects user information.

Q: What is an ethical hacker?

A: A professional who tests systems for vulnerabilities legally.

Q: What is a digital certificate?

A: Electronic document verifying the ownership of a public key.

Q: What is firewall purpose?

A: To monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Q: What is a CAPTCHA used for?

A: To verify that a user is human, not a bot.

Q: What is encryption key?

A: A string of data used to lock or unlock encrypted information.

💡 SECTION E: IT Applications & Concepts (81–100)

Q: What is word processing software?

A: Software used to create and edit text documents (e.g., MS Word).

Q: What is spreadsheet software?

A: Software used for calculations and data analysis (e.g., Excel).

Q: What is presentation software?

A: Software used to create slide-based presentations (e.g., PowerPoint).

Q: What is system update?

A: Installing new software versions to fix bugs or improve performance.

Q: What is a search engine?

A: A tool that searches the web (e.g., Google).

Q: What is e-commerce?

A: Buying and selling goods online.

Q: What is an email client?

A: Software used to send and receive emails (e.g., Outlook).

Q: What is IoT?

A: Internet of Things — network of physical devices connected online.

Q: What is artificial intelligence (AI)?

A: Technology that enables machines to simulate human intelligence.

Q: What is virtual reality (VR)?

A: Computer-generated simulation of a 3D environment.

Q: What is an algorithm?

A: A step-by-step procedure to solve a problem.

Q: What is cloud storage?

A: Saving data on internet servers instead of local devices.

Q: What is system analysis?

A: The process of studying a system to identify its components and functions.

Q: What is IT infrastructure?

A: The combined hardware, software, and network resources of an organization.

Q: What is open-source software?

A: Software whose source code is freely available for modification.

Q: What is proprietary software?

A: Software owned and licensed by a company, not freely shared.

Q: What is virtualization?

A: Creating virtual versions of servers, storage, or networks.

Q: What is a project management tool?

A: Software for planning and tracking projects (e.g., Trello, Jira).

Q: What is IT support?

A: Assistance provided to users and organizations for technical issues.

Q: What is digital transformation?

A: Integrating technology into all business areas to improve performance.