Learn about methods of protecting data physically including biometrics, security staff and locks. Based on the 2016 OCR Cambridge Technicals Level 3 IT specification for Unit 2 (Global Information). 6.5 - Physical Protection Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 2 RFID & Tokens Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to attach tags to physical objects . RFID tags can be embedded within 'dumb' objects such as clothing, packages and even animals. RFID is used with security tokens (such as an ID keycard ) to permit the access of authorised people to certain areas. RFID can be used by IT companies to track equipment and manage access . Shredding This is the cutting up of documents (paper or CDs ) into small pieces so that they cannot be reassembled and read. Sensitive data on paper or optical disc should be shredded when no longer required. Locks A lock can be used to prevent access to server rooms or sensitive data stores . Only authorised personnel with the right key will have access. Physical Security Measures Backup Backups should be taken regularly and stored at a secure location away from the main site. Backups could also be stored on cloud servers so that any damage to the organisation's building will not affect the backup as well. Biometrics Biometric devices require the input of a human characteristic (such a fingerprint , iris or voice scan ). The biometric data is checked against previously inputted data in a database . A match will allow access to the user. Security Staff Staff may be employed to physically prevent unauthorised people from accessing certain areas of a building where sensitive information is stored. They may check ID keycards or use surveillance like CCTV to monitor who is entering and exiting a secure area. Q uesto's Q uestions 6.5 - Physical Protection: 1. Explain how locks can be used as a physical security method within an organisation. [2 ] 2. Explain what RFID is and how it can be used with tokens as a physical security method. [3 ] 3. Explain how biometric devices can be used as a physical security method. [3 ] 4. Explain how security staff can be employed to protect data. [2 ] 5. What is the purpose of shredding ? [2 ] 6. Why should backups be stored off-site ? [1 ] 6.4 - Protection Measures Topic List 6.6 - Logical Protection

Learn about how to perform binary addition and binary shifts. Based on the J277 OCR GCSE Computer Science specification (first taught from 2020 onwards). 2.4b: Binary Addition & Shifts Exam Board: OCR Specification: J277 Watch on YouTube : Binary Addition Overflow Errors Binary Shifts Issues with Shifts Binary Addition Binary addition is a method of adding binary values without having to convert them into denary. How to add binary numbers: What is an overflow error? An overflow error occurs when a binary value is too large to be stored in the bits available . With a byte (8 bits ) the largest number that can be held is 255 . Therefore any sum of two binary numbers that is greater than 255 will result in an overflow error as it is too large to be held in 8 bits . What is binary shift? Binary shift is used to multiply and divide binary numbers . The effect of shifting left is to multiply a binary number. The effect is doubled by each place that is shifted . x The effect of shifting right is to divide a binary number. ÷ Shifting by 1 has an effect of 2 . Shifting by 2 has an effect of 4 . Shifting by 3 has an effect of 8 . For example, shifting left by 2 places has an effect of multiplying by 4 . Another example: Shifting right by 3 places has an effect of diving by 8 . How to shift a binary number: Binary Shifts Watch on YouTube Watch on YouTube Q uesto's Q uestions Binary Addition: 1. Explain what an overflow error is. [ 2 ] 2. Add together the following binary values. If an overflow error occurs you must state one has occurred. a. 010110012 and 010001012 [2 ] b. 110110112 and 010111012 [2 ] c. 001101102 and 011010112 [2 ] d. 110110112 and 010101112 [2 ] e. 011011012 and 110101102 [2 ] Binary Shifts: 1a. Draw a diagram to show the effect of multiplying and dividing a binary number . [2 ] 1b. Draw a diagram or table to show the effect a shift has for each place from 1 to 4 . For example, a shift of 1 place has an effect of 2. [4 ] 2. State the effect of the following shifts: a. Shift right by 2 places. b. Shift left by 1 place. c. Shift left 3 places. d. Shift right by 4 places. [ 1 each ] 3. Shift the following binary numbers and state the effect of the shift: a. 10101011 : Shift left by 2 places. b. 11101100 : Shift right by 3 places. c. 00001011 : Shift right by 2 places. d. 01101110 : Shift left by 1 place. [ 2 each ] 2.4a - Number Systems Theory Topics 2.4c - Character Storage

Learn about the three data states - at rest, in transit (in motion) and in use. Resources based on Unit F161 (Developing Application Software) for the OCR Cambridge Advanced Nationals in Computing (H029 / H129) AAQ (Alternative Academic Qualification). Qualification: Cambridge Advanced Nationals in Computing (AAQ) Certificate: Computing: Application Development (H029 / H129) Unit: F161: Developing Application Software 2.3 - Data States Watch on YouTube: Data States You need to understand the characteristics and uses of the three data states (at rest , in transit (in motion) and in use ) What You Need to Know Data States Data states describe what is happening to data at a particular time - whether it is being stored , transferred or actively used . At Rest Data is at rest when it is stored on a device or storage system and is not currently being transferred or processed . It remains in a stable state until it is accessed , changed or deleted . It is for when data needs to be stored for later use , such as files saved on an SSD , customer details in a database or photos stored on a phone . In Transit Data in transit (also known as data in motion ) is actively moving from one location or device to another , often across a network . It may be sent to multiple users but is susceptible to interception or security attacks while being transferred . It is used when data needs to be sent or shared , such as loading a webpage , sending an email , uploading a file to cloud storage or streaming a video . In Use Data in use is currently being accessed , processed or changed by a user , application or computer system . It is used when an application needs to work with data , such as editing a document , calculating values in a spreadsheet , processing a database search or editing graphics . Q uesto's Q uestions 2.3 - Data States: 1. What is meant by a data state ? [ 1 ] 2. Describe the characteristics of data at rest , data in transit and data in use . [2 each ] 3. Give two examples of when data would be at rest , in transit and in use . [2 each ] 4. Explain how the same piece of data could move between all three data states . [3 ] 5. What might data in transit be particularly susceptible to? [2 ] When you stream a film on Netflix , its data can move through different states : it is at rest on a server , in transit while being sent across the internet , and in use when your device processes it for playback . D id Y ou K now? 2.2 - Data Flow Topic List 3.1 - APIs

Test your ability to create a more complex program in Python based on a given scenario. Perfect for students learning GCSE Computer Science in UK schools. Extended Task 1 Pete Porker's Pork Pie Emporium Hello, Pete Porker here... I need a new program for customer orders at my bakery . I need the customer to enter how many scotch eggs (45p each ), pork pies (85p each ) and quiche tarts (£1.45 ) they want to order. Next, ask them to confirm their choice . If they are not happy , ask the questions again . If they confirm their choice, print a receipt showing their order and total . To make your program better, you should use validation (either while loops or error handling ) to make sure that a user must enter a correct value. Bronze Award --- Welcome to Pete Porker's Pork Pie Emporium --- Scotch eggs are 45p, pork pies are 85p and quiche tarts are £1.49. Enter the number of scotch eggs to buy: 9 Enter the number of pork pies to buy: 7 Enter the number of quiche tarts to buy: 4 ----- You selected 9 scotch eggs, 7 pork pies and 4 quiche tarts. 9 scotch eggs = £4.05 7 pork pies = £5.95 4 quiche tarts = £5.96 ------- Total: £15.96 There are many ways to create this program, but below are some suggestions : Use inputs with int to let the user enter how many of each item they want. Use total variables , e.g. totaleggs = eggs * 0.45 to work out the total cost for eggs, pies and tarts. Set a finalcost variable by adding the total of the three items together. Use dashes and \n (which makes a new line ) inside speech marks to make your program more presentable . Silver Award --- Welcome to Pete Porker's Pork Pie Emporium --- Scotch eggs are 45p, pork pies are 85p and quiche tarts are £1.49. Enter the number of scotch eggs to buy: 5 Enter the number of pork pies to buy: 3 Enter the number of quiche tarts to buy: 6 ----- You selected 9 scotch eggs, 7 pork pies and 4 quiche tarts. ----- Are you happy with this selection? no Okay, enter your choices again. Enter the number of scotch eggs to buy: 6 Enter the number of pork pies to buy: 2 Enter the number of quiche tarts to buy: 7 ----- You selected 6 scotch eggs, 2 pork pies and 7 quiche tarts. ----- Are you happy with this selection? yes Excellent! Here is your receipt : 6 scotch eggs = £2.70 2 pork pies = £1.70 7 quiche tarts = £10.43 ------- Total: £14.83 There are many ways to improve this program and below are some suggestions : Use a while loop to repeat the input stage until the user is happy with their choices. You will need to ask the user if they are happy with the values that were entered and then use an if statement to repeat the loop if they enter 'no '. Gold Award Example solution: --- Welcome to Pete Porker's Pork Pie Emporium --- Scotch eggs are 45p, pork pies are 85p and quiche tarts are £1.49. Enter the number of scotch eggs to buy: 9 Enter the number of pork pies to buy: 35 Sorry you must enter a number between 1 and 20. Starting again... Enter the number of scotch eggs to buy: 9 Enter the number of pork pies to buy: 20 Enter the number of quiche tarts to buy: 7 ----- You selected 9 scotch eggs, 20 pork pies and 7 quiche tarts. ----- Are you happy with this selection? YES Excellent! Here is your reciept: 9 scotch eggs = £4.05 20 pork pies = £17.00 7 quiche tarts = £10.43 ------- Total: £31.48 There are many ways to make this program even better and below are some suggestions : Include validation so that the user can only enter numbers between 1 and 20 . You will need to use if statements and the and operator to do this. You can include additional features to your program such as rounding the number to two decimal places and including coloured text using the Colorama library (which will only work if you are using an online editor like Replit ). You can use the .lower() command when checking if the user is happy with their choices to automatically accept 'Yes' and 'YES '. If you really want to challenge yourself you could consider outputting the receipt in order from most expensive to least expensive , using if statements to check the three values (although that has not been done in this example on the left). Helpful reminders for this task: Inputting Integers While Loops Calculations Rounding Integers ⬅ 12 - Error Handling Extende d Task 2 (Lottery) ➡

Test your understanding of imported commands in Python including random and time. Try practice tasks and learn through text and images. Perfect for students learning GCSE Computer Science in UK schools. top Python - Section 5 Practice Tasks Task One: Random Numbers Ask the user to input 4 different numbers . Put the four variables in a list with square brackets and use the choice command from section 5a to randomly select one. Example solutions: Enter number 1: 10 Enter number 2: 20 Enter number 3: 30 Enter number 4: 40 The computer has selected 30 Enter number 1: 2023 Enter number 2: 2024 Enter number 3: 2025 Enter number 4: 2026 The computer has selected 2026 Task Two: Logging In You will make a program for logging into a system. Print a greeting then ask the user for their name . Wait 2 seconds then print a simple login message with the user’s name . Then print the current time (current hour and minute ). Example solutions: Welcome to Missleton Bank Please enter your name: Steve Steveson Logging you in Steve Steveson The time is 08:02 Welcome to Missleton Bank Please enter your name: Gracie Jones Logging you in Gracie Jones The time is 15:53 Task Three: Random Wait Generate a random number between 3 and 10 to represent seconds . Print this number then print the current hour, minute and second . Wait for the random number of seconds then print the current time again. Example solutions: The random wait will be 6 seconds. The time is 08:17:57 The time is 08:18:03 The random wait will be 3 seconds. The time is 08:21:39 The time is 08:21:42 Task Four: Independence Checker Create a program that displays how many days three specific countries have been independent for. The user will choose either Fiji , Samoa or Australia and the difference between today's date and the day they become independent will be displayed. Fiji became independent on 10th October 1970 . Samoa became independent on 13th December 1962 . Australia became independent on 1st January 1901 . Use the 'Today's Date ' and 'Between Dates ' parts of Section 5c to help you get today's date , make the other three dates and find the difference . Making Samoa's independence date would be samoadate = date(1962,12,13) for example. Example solutions: Enter FIJI, SAMOA or AUSTRALIA to check how long it has been independent for: AUSTRALIA Australia has been independent for 44822 days. Enter FIJI, SAMOA or AUSTRALIA to check how long it has been independent for: FIJI Fiji has been independent for 19338 days. Task Five: Square Root Create a program that asks the user to enter a whole number . Calculate the square root of the number. Round the answer down to the nearest whole number using the floor command. Example solutions: Enter a number: 156 The rounded down square root is 12 Enter a number: 156 The rounded down square root is 12 ⬅ 5e - More Librarie s 6a - For Loops ➡

Learn about network topologies including client-server, peer-to-peer, bus, mesh and star. Based on the 2016 OCR Cambridge Technicals Level 3 IT specification. 3.3 - Network Characteristics Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 1 Network Topologies Network topology refers to the arrangement of computer systems on a network . Devices in a network topology diagram are often called ' nodes ' . Client-Server Network Clients make requests to a server , the server manages that request and responds . For example, if the user (client) makes a request to access www.csnewbs.com to a web server . Large services like Amazon and Google will need very powerful servers to handle millions of requests a second. The client is completely dependent on the server to provide and manage the information. The server controls network security , backups and can be upgraded to manage higher demand. Disadvantages: Large amounts of traffic congestion will cause the network to slow down . If a fault occurs with the server then the whole network will fail . IT technicians may be required to manage and maintain the network . Malware , such as viruses, can spread quickly across the network. Peer-to-Peer Network For peer-to-peer networks , data is shared directly between systems without requiring a central server . Each computer is equally responsible for providing data. Peer-to-peer is optimal for sharing files that can then be downloaded. Bus Topology The nodes are connected to a bus (a central cable which transfers all data on the network). How it works: The bus transfers data packets along the cable . As the data packets arrive at each computer system, the computer checks the destination address contained in the packet to see if it matches its own address . If the address does not match , the computer system passes the data packet to the next system . If the address of the computer system matches the destination address in the data packet, it is accepted and processed. At both ends of the cable are terminators to mark the end of the bus. Advantages: Because of the simple layout, it is easy to attach another system to the main cable without disrupting the whole network . A bus topology is quick to set up once the main cable has been established making it optimal for temporary networks . A bus topology is cost-effective because it usually contains less cabling than other topologies and requires no additional hardware (like a hub or switch). Disadvantages: Poor security as data packets are passed on to each system on the network. Data collisions are likely - this is when two systems attempt to transfer data on the same line at the exact same time. Resending the data wastes time and slows down the network . The main cable will only have a limited length which can become crowded and slows network speed as more systems are attached. The main cable must also be terminated properly . Token Ring Topology In a token ring network , computer systems are connected in a ring or a loop. How it works: A token (small data packet) is sent around the ring in one direction, being passed from one computer system to the next. A computer seizes the token and includes its own data when it transfers data. As the token arrives at each computer system, the system checks the destination address contained in the packet to see if it matches its own. If the addresses match, the computer processes the data otherwise it ignores it. Advantages: Data collisions are avoided as data packets are transmitted in one direction around the ring. Attaching more systems to a ring topology won't affect the transfer speed as much as other layouts like a bus topology because the data is transferred at a consistent speed . Disadvantages: If any system on the network fails then the whole network fails as the loop is broken and data can't be transferred to all systems. To add a new system to a ring topology the network must be temporarily shut down . Star Topology In a star network , each computer system is connected to a central node: a hub or switch . How it works: Each node is connected to the central node (usually a hub or switch ) and transfers its data packets here. The hub/switch looks at the destination address and transfers the packets to the intended computer only. Advantages: A star topology has improved security because data packets are sent directly to and from the hub / switch in the centre and not necessarily all devices like in a bus or ring topology. New systems can be attached directly to the central system so the network doesn't need to be shut down . System failures of attached computers won't usually cause complete network failure. Transfer speeds are generally fast in a star topology as there are minimal network collisions . Disadvantages: Extra hardware (the hub or switch) is required to be purchased, installed and maintained. If the central system (the hub or switch) fails then the whole network will be unusable until the error is fixed. Mesh Topology In a mesh network, each computer system is connected to every other computer system . How it works: Data packets are transferred to the destination address along the quickest path, travelling from node to node. If a pathway is broken, there are many alternative paths that the packets can take. Advantages: If one cable or system fails then data packets can take an alternative route and still reach the destination address. Because of the large possible number of systems and connections, a mesh topology can usually withstand large amounts of data traffic . New systems can be added to the network without disrupting the entire topology . Disadvantages: Because of the possibly large amount of cables required (especially in a complete mesh topology) this network layout can be expensive to install and maintain . Redundant cabling should be avoided - this is when cables are connected between systems that won't ever need to communicate . Configuration Before a computer system can use a network, three pieces of information must be configured (set up) correctly. IP Address An IP address is used to uniquely identify computer systems on a network , allowing communication between them. An example of an IP address is 195.10.213.120. Default Gateway When data is to be sent from one network to another , it must be sent through a default gateway . This default gateway is usually a router that connects the local network to another network . On many home networks , the default gateway will use the same private IP address : 192.168.1.1 Network managers can use automatic configuration which is quicker and easier to set up . A new device can connect to and use a network automatically , such as free WiFi in an airport. Network managers can also set manual configuration which improves security as new devices can’t be used until the addresses have been configured by a technician . This stops unauthorised devices from connecting to the network. Subnet Mask Subnetting is the act of dividing a physical network into smaller 'sub' networks (known as subnets ) . This helps to reduce traffic and means that users can externally access parts of a network (e.g. emails from home) without having to open the entire network. A subnet mask is used to define these subnets . The mask is used to determine the start and end address of each IP address in a subnet. A common subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 as making the first 3 sections full restricts the fourth section to 256 unique values. For example 113.12.14.230 and 113.12.14.157 are in the same subnet but 114.12.14.127 wouldn't be. Q uesto's Q uestions 3.3 - Network Characteristics: 1 a. Describe how peer-to-peer networks and client-server networks function. 1b. Give one use for both types of network. 2a. Draw and label a diagram for all 6 network topologies . 2b. Describe 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages of each network topology . 3 . What is an IP address ? Why is it necessary for networks? 4. Describe what is meant by a default gateway . 5a. What is subnetting ? 5b. What is the purpose of a subnet mask ? 5c. State a common subnet mask . How many unique devices can be used on a network with this subnet mask? 6. Describe 1 reason why a network manager may use automatic configuration and 1 reason why they may use manual configuration . Advantages: The network can be controlled centrally from the server to easily backup data and update software . Hardware, software and resources can be shared across the network, such as printers, applications and data files . The network allows for improved scalability , meaning more clients can be easily added to the central server . Disadvantages: Without a dedicated server there is no central device to manage security or backups . Backups must be performed on each individual system. Computer performance will decrease with more devices connected to the network, especially if other machines are slow. Advantages: This is a simpler network than client-server to set up as no server is required . Clients are not dependent on a server . Perfect for quickly sharing files between systems , such as downloading media files. 3.2 - Virtualisation Topic List 3.4 - Connection Methods

Learn about sorting algorithms - merge and bubble sort - and searching algorithms - linear and bubble search. Based on the 2020 Eduqas (WJEC) GCSE specification. 8.4: Sorting & Searching Algorithms Exam Board: Eduqas Specification: 2020 Merge Sort Merge sort is a sorting algorithm based on the idea of ‘divide and conquer ’. A merge sort divides a list into half , again and again until each data item is separate . Then the items are combined in the same way as they were divided , but now in the correct order . When the individual lists are all merged together as one list again, then the data is in order and the algorithm will end . Bubble Sort This algorithm is based on the comparison of adjacent data elements . Data elements are swapped if they are not in the correct order . A bubble sort is not suitable for large sets of data. Linear Search A linear search is the most simple search algorithm. Each data item is searched in order from the first value to the last as if they were all laid out in a line . The list does not have to be in any order before it is searched . This search is also known as a sequential search because the list is searched in a sequence from start to end. For large lists , this search is not very efficient . Binary Search A binary search is a much more efficient searching algorithm as it generally searches through fewer data and is often much quicker - especially for large data sets. In a binary search, the middle point of the data is selected with each iteration and many data items can be ignored. However, the list of data must already be sorted in order before a binary search can take place. Q uesto's Q uestions 8.3 - Searching & Sorting Algorithms: Linear Search Explain step-by-step how the number 8 would be found in the following list using a linear search : 12, 5, 3, 2, 8, 19, 14, 6 [4 ] Binary Search Explain step-by-step how the number 2 would be found in the following list using a binary search : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 [6 ] Merge Sort Explain step-by-step how a merge sort would sort the following list of numbers: 4, 8, 5, 1, 3, 6, 7, 2 [6 ] Bubble Sort Explain step-by-step how a bubble sort would sort the following list of numbers: 3, 2, 6, 4, 1, 4 [6 ] Watch on YouTube Watch on YouTube Watch on YouTube Watch on YouTube 8.3 - Writing Algorithms Theory Topics 8.5 - Validation & Verification

Learn about the negative impacts that data loss will have on an organisation including reputation loss, fines and possible bankruptcy. Based on the 2016 OCR Cambridge Technicals Level 3 IT specification for Unit 2 (Global Information). 6.3 - Impacts Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 2 If a risk to data (see 6.2 ) occurs then there are a number of different impacts that may consequently negatively affect an organisation . Loss of Intellectual Property 'Intellectual property ' refers to anything that an organisation or individual has designed, developed or created themselves . For an individual, this could be a manuscript , artwork or piece of music . For an organisation, it could be primary data they have collected, blueprints for an upcoming design or a report following data analysis. The impact of having intellectual property lost depends on the property itself and how easy it would be for the victim to recreate or recollect the data . Competitors that stole intellectual property could use it at their advantage. Also, the effect of an upcoming announcement to the public would decrease if it was leaked ahead of time. In 2017 HBO suffered large property leaks when Game of Thrones episodes were stolen before air date resulting in pirated versions appearing online well before they were due to be shown on TV. Loss of Service and Access If usernames and passwords are stolen then individuals may be unable to access services that they have paid for, an example being if WiFi details were stolen so that a hacker can access the internet using someone else's account. If a hacker is permitted access to a system they can change the account settings such as the password to lock out the original owners of that account, leaving them without access. Other services can be targeted with malicious attacks like a DDOS attack so that users cannot log into a web page or online service. If users cannot access an account they may use alternative methods and providers , such as avoiding one type of cloud storage provider that has let them down and choosing another. Breach of Confidential Information Confidential information is of a highly sensitive nature and could lead to other negative impacts if it got into the hands of unauthorised people . Confidential information, such as medical histories, should be stored securely with multiple physical and logical protections in place to ensure that it keeps its integrity . If confidential information was breached then it could lead to a loss of reputation as the holder would be regarded as ineffective at protecting the data . Legal consequences would also follow as the Data Protection Act ( 2018 ) would be broken : fines, court cases and even imprisonment would be possible further impacts. An organisation would expect to see penalties from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if they failed to protect personal details by breaking the DPA . Loss of Third Party Data Many organisations will store data not only for their own purposes but for other individuals and businesses too; a key example being cloud storage providers . Users can store data on public cloud services such as Google Drive or DropBox and access their information using the internet from any networked device they please. If services like cloud storage services are hacked or taken offline (e.g. because of an attack or network problems) and data is lost then customers, especially those that pay, will be furious. This will lead to a loss of reputation, trust and even legal proceedings if personal and sensitive data is lost. Larger businesses will use private cloud storage, hosted in data centres that they maintain themselves, to avoid relying on third parties . Loss of Reputation Organisations spend years to build up a reputation where customers trust them and want to use their products or services. Data loss can immediately destroy that reputation and cause once-loyal customers to look elsewhere and choose their competitors . Failing to keep data safe means that an organisation has been unable to follow their legal and moral duty of keeping information secure and could lead to a loss of trade , resulting in reduced earnings and sales . Identity Theft If an individual's personal information is stolen by attackers then one impact is identity theft - when the attacker uses the victim's data for fraud or impersonation . Identity theft can lead to financial loss to the victim if loans , products or services are purchased in their name . The victim may have to contact their bank and other organisations to cancel transactions and there is no guarantee their money will be returned. Credit checks may be affected, leading to future financial difficulty for the victim. Threat to National Security If data of a classified nature (such as military arrangements, security weak-points or upcoming government plans) is lost and falls into the hands (most probably by hacking) of those who intend to bring harm to the country then the consequences can be disastrous. Spies of foreign countries or terrorists could use classified information to target vulnerable locations or events resulting in casualties. Threats could also be economic in nature if large amounts of money are stolen or redirected to malicious bodies. Recent Examples of Security Failure Q uesto's Q uestions 6.3 - Impacts: 1. Describe how each of the impacts above could affect a bank storing large amounts of customer data including financial records. [12 ] 2. Research three recent hacking examples . For each situation describe the impacts that occurred as a result of data loss . [12 ] Click the icons to read BBC News articles about recent examples of hacks and security breaches . Virgin Media Boots Marriott Hotels Facebook Messenger 6.2 - Risks Topic List 6.4 - Protection Measures

Navigate between all Unit 1 (Fundamentals of IT) topics in the OCR Cambridge Technicals Level 3 IT 2016 specification. OCR Cambridge Technicals IT Level 3 Unit 1: Fundamentals of IT These pages are based on content from the OCR Cambridge Technicals 2016 Level 3 IT specification . This website is in no way affiliated with OCR . This qualification stopped in July 2025. The pages on the site will remain for at least two years. LO1 (Computer Hardware ) 1.1 - Computer Hardware 1.2 - Computer Components 1.3 - Types of Computer System 1.4 - Connectivity 1.5 - Communication Hardware 1.6 - Hardware Troubleshooting 1.7 - Units of Measurement 1.8 & 1.9 - Number Systems & Conversion LO2 (Computer Software ) 2.1 - Types of Software 2.2 - Applications Software 2.3 - Utility Software 2.4 - Operating Systems 2.5 - Communication Methods 2.6 - Software Troubleshooting 2.7 - Protocols LO3 (Networks & Systems ) 3.1 - Server Types 3.2 - Virtualisation 3.3 - Network Characteristics 3.4 - Connection Methods 3.5 - Business Systems LO4 ( Employability & Communication ) 4.1 - Communication Skills 4.2 - Communication Technology 4.3 - Personal Attributes 4.4 - Ready for Work 4.5 - Job Roles 4.6 & 4.7 - Bodies & Certification LO5 (Issues & Security ) 5.1 - Ethical Issues 5.2 - Operational Issues 5.3 - Threats 5.4 - Physical Security 5.5 - Digital Security 5.6 - Data & System Disposal

Learn how to create variables in Python. Try practice tasks and learn through text and images. Perfect for students learning GCSE Computer Science in UK schools. top Python 1c - Creating Variables What is a Variable? A variable represents a value that can change as a program is running . The two parts of a variable are the name (e.g. sweets) and the value (e.g. 8). sweets = 8 print (sweets) = 8 amount of sweets = 8 8sweets = 8 sweets A variable can't contain spaces , it must start with a letter , and you must declare its value before you can use or print it. You always need to print the variable name (e.g. biscuits), not the value (20) as the value can change. Important – When writing variable names, we do not need speech marks. (e.g. type biscuits , not “biscuits”) We use variables because the value of something might change as the program is executed. For example, if someone eats a sweet then the value of our variable changes: sweets = 8 print (sweets) sweets = 7 print (sweets) = 8 7 sweets = 8 print ( Sweets) You must be consistent with capital letters when writing variable names. sweets and Sweets are treated as two different variables. Creating Variables Task 1 ( Age & Pets) Make a variable named age and set it to your current age. On the next line print age . Make another variable named pets and set it to how many pets you have. On the next line print pets . Example solution: 14 2 Variables with Strings (Text) In programming, a collection of alphanumeric characters (letters, numbers and punctuation) is called a string . "Pikachu" is a string. In the example below, pokemon is the variable name that represents the variable value "Pikachu" . pokemon = "Pikachu" print (pokemon) = Pikachu To create a string, we use "speech marks" . Numbers by themselves and variable names do not use speech marks. Each variable can only have one value at a time, but it can change throughout the program. pokemon = "Pikachu" print (pokemon) pokemon = "Squirtle" print (pokemon) = Pikachu Squirtle Creating Variables Task 2 ( Superhero & Colour ) Make a variable named superhero and set it to any of your choice, such as "Spider-Man" . Print the superhero variable on the next line. Make another variable named colour and set it to the colour related to your chosen superhero. Print the colour variable on the next line. Example solutions: Spider-Man Red The Hulk Green ⬅ 1b - Co mmenting 1d - Using Variables ➡

Learn how to use the math library and to refresh the screen (on some editors only). Try practice tasks and learn through text and images. Perfect for students learning GCSE Computer Science in UK schools. top Python 5e - More Libraries Clear Screen Importing the os library and using the .system() command with the "clear" parameter will clear the screen . The console won't clear on offline editors like IDLE but will work with many online editors like Replit. import os print ( "Hello" ) os. system ( "clear" ) print ( "Bye" ) Bye Clear Screen Task ( Trivia Questions ) Ask three trivia questions of your choice to the user and clear the screen between each one. You should display the total they got correct after the third question - to do this you need to set a variable called correct to equal 0 at the start and then add 1 to correct each time a correct answer is given . Example solution: The Math Library The math libraries contains several commands used for numbers: sqrt to find the square root of a number. ceil to round a decimal up to the nearest whole number and floor to round down to the nearest whole number. pi to generate the value of pi (π ). The sqrt command will find the square root of a number or variable placed in the brackets and return it as a decimal number . from math import sqrt answer = sqrt(64) print (answer) 8.0 The ceil command rounds a decimal up to the nearest integer and the floor command rounds a decimal down to the nearest integer . from math import ceil, floor answer = 65 / 8 print ( "True answer:" , answer) print ( "Rounded up:" , ceil(answer)) print ( "Rounded down:" , floor(answer)) True answer: 8.125 Rounded up: 9 Rounded down: 8 The pi command generates a pi value accurate to 15 decimal places . Pi is used for many mathematical calculations involving circles . The area of a circle is pi x radius² . The first example below uses 5.6 as the radius . from math import pi radius = 5.6 area = pi * (radius * radius) print ( "The area of the circle is" , area) The area of the circle is 98.5203456165759 The example below uses an input to allow the user to enter a decimal (float ) number for the radius. It also uses the ceil command to round the area up . from math import pi, ceil radius = float(input( " Enter the radius: " )) area = pi * (radius * radius) print ( "The area of the circle is" , ceil(area)) Enter the radius: 2.3 The area is 17 Clear Screen Task ( Area of a Sph ere ) The formula of a sphere is 4 x π x r² where π represents pi and r is the radius . Use an input line to enter the radius and then calculate the area of the sphere . Round the answer down to the nearest integer using floor and print it. Example solution: Enter the radius: 7.1 The area of the sphere is 633 ⬅ 5d - Coloram a Section 5 Practice Tasks ➡

Learn about the four types of secondary storage - magnetic, optical, solid-state and cloud. Also, learn about the data storage units from bit to yottabyte. Based on the 2020 Eduqas (WJEC) GCSE specification. 1.4: Secondary Storage & Data Units Exam Board: Eduqas Specification: 2020 Secondary storage (also known as backing storage ) is non-volatile storage used to save and store data that can be accessed repeatedly. Secondary storage is not directly embedded on the motherboard (and possibly even external ) and therefore further away from the CPU so it is slower to access then primary storage . Storage Characteristics: CAPACITY : The maximum amount of data that can be stored. DURABILITY : The physical strength of the device, to withstand damage. PORTABILITY : How easy it is to carry the device around. ACCESS SPEED : How quickly data on the device can be read or edited . COST : The average price it costs to purchase a storage device. Magnetic Storage Optical Storage A magnetic hard disk drive (HDD ) is the most common form of secondary storage within desktop computers. A read/write head moves nanometres above the disk platter and uses the magnetic field of the platter to read or edit data. An obsolete (no longer used) type of magnetic storage is a floppy disk but these have been replaced by solid state devices such as USB sticks which are much faster and have a much higher capacity. Another type of magnetic storage that is still used is magnetic tape . Magnetic tape has a high storage capacity but data has to be accessed in order (serial access ) so it is generally only used by companies to back up or archive large amounts of data . Optical storage uses a laser to project beams of light onto a spinning disc, allowing it to read data from a CD , DVD or Blu-Ray . This makes optical storage the slowest of the four types of secondary storage. Disc drives are traditionally internal but external disc drives can be bought for devices like laptops. Magnetic Storage Characteristics: ✓ - Large CAPACITY and cheaper COST per gigabyte than solid state . X - Not DURABLE and not very PORTABLE when powered on because moving it can damage the device. X - Slow ACCESS SPEED but faster than optical storage . Optical Storage Characteristics: X - Low CAPACITY : 700 MB (CD ), 4.7 GB (DVD ), 25 GB (Blu-ray ). X - Not DURABLE because discs are very fragile and can break or scratch easily. ✓ - Discs are thin and very PORTABLE . Also very cheap to buy in bulk. X - Optical discs have the Slowest ACCESS SPEED . Magnetic Disks are spelled with a k and Optical Discs have a c. Solid State Storage Cloud Storage There are no moving parts in solid state storage. SSD s (Solid State Drives ) are replacing magnetic HDDs (Hard DIsk Drives) in modern computers and video game consoles because they are generally quieter , faster and use less power . A USB flash drive ( USB stick ) is another type of solid state storage that is used to transport files easily because of its small size. Memory cards , like the SD card in a digital camera or a Micro SD card in a smartphone , are another example of solid state storage. When you store data in 'the cloud', using services such as Google Drive or Dropbox, your data is stored on large servers owned by the hosting company . The hosting company (such as Google) is responsible for keeping the servers running and making your data accessible on the internet . Cloud storage is very convenient as it allows people to work on a file at the same time and it can be accessed from different devices. However, if the internet connection fails , or the servers are attacked then the data could become inaccessible . Solid State Characteristics: X - High CAPACITY but more expensive COST per gigabyte than magnetic . ✓ - Usually DURABLE but cheap USB sticks can snap or break . ✓ - The small size of USB sticks and memory cards mean they are very PORTABLE and can fit easily in a bag or pocket. ✓ - Solid State storage has the fastest ACCESS SPEED because they contain no moving parts . Cloud Storage Characteristics: ✓ - Huge CAPACITY and you can upgrade your subscription if you need more storage. ✓ / X - Cloud storage is difficult to rank in terms of PORTABILITY , DURABILITY and ACCESS SPEED because it depends on your internet connection. A fast connection would mean that cloud storage is very portable (can be accessed on a smartphone or tablet) but a poor connection would make access difficult . ✓ - Cloud storage is typically free for a certain amount of storage. Users can then buy a subscription to cover their needs - Dropbox allows 2 GB for free or 2 TB for £9.99 a month. Data Storage Units 0 / 1 All data in a computer system is made up of bits . A single bit is a 0 or a 1 . 4 bits (such as 0101 or 1101) is called a nibble . 1,024 bytes is called a kilobyte . A kilobyte can store a short email . A 8 bits is called a byte . A byte can store a single character . 1,024 kilobytes is called a megabyte . A megabyte can store about a minute of music . 1,024 megabytes is called a gigabyte . A gigabyte can store about 500 photos . 1,024 terabytes is called a petabyte . A petabyte can store about 1.5 million CDs . 1,024 gigabytes is called a terabyte . A terabyte can store about 500 hours of films . More data storage units: 1,024 petabytes is called a exabyte . 1,024 exabytes is called a zettabyte . 1,024 zettabytes is called a yottabyte . Q uesto's Q uestions 1.4 - Secondary Storage: 1. Rank magnetic , optical and solid-state storage in terms of capacity , durability , portability , speed and cost . For example, magnetic has the highest capacity , then solid-state, then optical. This could be completed in a table . [15 ] 2. Justify which secondary storage should be used in each scenario and why it is the most appropriate: a. Sending videos and pictures to family in Australia through the post . [ 2 ] b. Storing a presentation to take into school . [ 2 ] c. Storing project files with other members of a group to work on together . [ 2 ] d. Backing up an old computer with thousands of files to a storage device. [ 2 ] 3. Put the following data storage units in order from smallest to largest : a . kilobyte - gigabyte - byte - megabyte - nibble - bit [3 ] b. gigabyte - petabyte - kilobyte - exabyte - terabyte - megabyte [ 3 ] 1.3 - Primary Storage 1.5 - Performance Theory Topics