(SEM-III) THEORY EXAMINATION, 2019-20 COMPUTER SYSTEM SECURITY

This document is the B.Tech Semester III Theory Examination (2019–20) question paper for Computer System Security (Sub Code: KNC301) under Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU).
The uploaded file contains one page, printed with a clean AKTU format, divided into three sections: SECTION A, SECTION B, and SECTION C.
The exam duration is 3 hours, and the total marks are 100.

The paper evaluates a student’s understanding of core cybersecurity areas such as encryption, secure design principles, secure communication (HTTP/S, SSL, TLS), intrusion detection, firewalls, IPsec, SQL injection, covert channels, and access control mechanisms.

SECTION A — Short Questions (10 × 2 = 20 Marks)

Located at the top of Page 1, this section contains ten 2-mark questions, each short and conceptual.
These questions test the foundational elements of cybersecurity:

Meaning of computer security problems and factors contributing to them

Encryption and Decryption

Principles of secure design

Difference between HTTPs, SSL, and TLS

System Call Interposition

DAC vs MAC (Discretionary vs Mandatory Access Control)

Web Security definition

Three benefits of IPsec

Meaning of SQL Injection

Problem of covert channels in cloud/VMM security

These questions are visible in the table format on Page 1 and check conceptual clarity.

SECTION B — Long Descriptive Questions (Attempt Any 3 × 10 = 30 Marks)

This section asks students to attempt any three of the five 10-mark questions.

Topics include:

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) and difficulties in anomaly detection

Why security is hard

Access Control Lists (ACLs) and technologies used

Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks and defences

SSL Encryption: key steps, server communication, security goals

These questions require understanding of modern attack vectors, prevention techniques, and secure communication protocols.

SECTION C — Analytical / Applied Questions (Q3–Q7, Each 10 Marks)

This section contains five groups, numbered Q3 to Q7, each with two alternatives (a or b).
Students must answer one part from each question number.

Q3 — System Security Basics / Malware Categories

What is system security and why it is needed?
OR

Different types of malware (virus, worm, Trojan, ransomware, etc.)

Q4 — Authentication / Password Security

Different types of authentication
OR

Password attacks, salt, hashing, and secure password storage

Q5 — Firewall Concepts / Threat Classification

Definition of firewall, types, packet filtering
OR

Threat classification and examples

Q6 — Access Control / Security Models

Access control policies and mechanisms
OR

Any standard security model (e.g., Bell-LaPadula, Biba)

Q7 — Network Attacks / Risk Management

Types of network attacks and their prevention
OR

Risk management framework and controls

These questions focus on real-world cybersecurity systems, models, threats, and security mechanisms.
 

OVERALL SUMMARY OF THE DOCUMENT

The uploaded Computer System Security (KNC301) exam paper evaluates a student’s knowledge in:

Encryption & secure communication

Web security fundamentals

Access control mechanisms (DAC, MAC, ACLs)

System call interposition

IDS and anomaly detection

SQL injection & CSRF

Network threats

IPsec benefits

Firewalls and security models

Malware classification

Risk management

Covert channels

The structure strictly follows AKTU norms:

SECTION A → Direct conceptual questions

SECTION B → Descriptive answers

SECTION C → Applied cybersecurity + detailed analytical explanations

The question paper appears on a single page and presents all questions in a clean, readable manner.