Information Technology

Question 1

What is a Management Information System?

Answer 1

Organized resources and procedures required to collect, process, and distribute data for decision making

Question 2

What is a Decision Support System?

Answer 2

Interactive system that provides user with easy access to decision models and data

Question 3

What is an Expert System?

Answer 3

Has a built in hierarchy of rules which are acquired from human experts

Question 4

What is an Executive Support Information System?

Answer 4

Supports non routine decision making and answers questions about competitors

Question 5

What is an Analytical Processing System?

Answer 5

Software technology that enables the user to query the system, retrieve data and conduct analysis

Question 6

What are the seven steps of a Systems Development Life Cycle Approach?

Answer 6

1. Feasibility study (Planning)
2. Requirements definition (Analysis)
3. Software selection or design
4. Configuration or development
5. Testing
6. Implementation
7. Maintenance

Question 7

What is a Value-Added Network?

Answer 7

Links computer files of different companies together and provides increased security

Question 8

What is a Virtual Private Network?

Answer 8

Allows users to access network resources from remote locations, creates an encrypted communication tunnel

Question 9

What is a Local Area Network?

Answer 9

Network that serves several users with a specified geographical area

Question 10

What is a Wide Area Network?

Answer 10

Network that connects different remote locations

Question 11

What is topology?

Answer 11

The shape of a network

Includes bus, star, ring, tree, and mesh

Question 12

What are the special considerations for EDI?

Answer 12

Strict standards needed for form of data
Translation software needed by each computer
Encryption is required

Question 13

What is a digital certificate?

Answer 13

Electronic document which uses a digital signature to verify that a public key belongs to an individual

Question 14

What is a digital signature?

Answer 14

Proves the identity of the sender and assures the information was unaltered in transmission

Question 15

What is a virus?

Answer 15

Program with the ability to reproduce by modifying other programs to include a copy of itself

Question 16

What is a worm?

Answer 16

Program that duplicates itself over a network

Question 17

What is a bit?

Answer 17

A single switch in a computer that is either in the on (1) or off (0) position

Question 18

What is a byte?

Answer 18

A group of 8 bits representing a character

Question 19

What is a character?

Answer 19

A letter, number, punctuation mark, or special character

Question 20

What is a field?

Answer 20

A group of related characters representing a unit of information (ex: phone number or city name)

Question 21

What is a record?

Answer 21

A collection of related information treated a a unit (ex: name, address, phone number for one employee)

Question 22

What is a file?

Answer 22

A group of logically related records (ex: contact info for all employees)

Question 23

What is a database?

Answer 23

A stored collection of related data

Question 24

What is the data structure hierarchy?

Answer 24

bit - byte - character - field - record - file - database

Question 25

What are the IT functions that should be separate?

Answer 25

Authorization - systems analysts, programmers, database administrator
Recording - computer operator
Custody - librarian

Question 26

What are input controls?

Answer 26

Check digit - one of the digits determined by formula
Validity check - compared to list of acceptable entries
Limit test - compared to limits that have been set for acceptability
Financial total
Record count
Hash total

Question 27

What are processing controls?

Answer 27

System and software documentation
Error-checking compiler
Test data
Change control measures
System testing
User acceptance testing

Question 28

What are output controls?

Answer 28

Distribution lists
Shredders
System testing

Question 29

What are two types of hardware controls?

Answer 29

Parity check - one bit will be a dummy bit that is turned on automatically so total number of bit in the on position is odd

Echo check - data sent is verified by receiving computer

Question 30

What are benefits of IT related to auditing?

Answer 30

Consistency
Timeliness
Easier data analysis
Computer can monitor
Controls difficult to circumvent
Segregation of duties

Question 31

What are the risks of IT related to auditing?

Answer 31

Over reliance on system
Unauthorized access can cause large data loss 
Unauthorized changes can cause problems
Systems sometimes not updated
Manual intervention
Loss of data

Question 32

What is the test data approach?

Answer 32

Auditor uses auditor data on client’s program
Can include valid and invalid transactions to verify program processes correctly
Only needs to design simulated transactions for conditions that interest the auditor
Only need one example of each condition

Question 33

What is controlled reprocessing?

Answer 33

Auditor uses client data on client’s program

Auditor supervises the entry of actual client data

Question 34

What is an Integrated Test Facility?

Answer 34

Auditor uses both auditor and client data on client’s program
Auditor includes simulated transactions along with actual data

Question 35

What is parallel simulation?

Answer 35

Auditor uses client data on auditor’s program to see if it produces same results

Question 36

What are the five core principles of COBIT 5?

Answer 36

Meeting stakeholder needs
End to end application
Development of a single integrated framework
Enabling a holistic approach
Separating governance from management

Question 37

What is primary storage?

Answer 37

Main memory portion of CPU that holds program, data, and results during processing
Include RAM and ROM