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106+ Free ICDL Cyber Security Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: ICDL Cyber Security Exam

36

Exam Questions

ICDL Foundation Exam Specification

45 mins

Exam Duration

ICDL Foundation Exam Specification

75%

Passing Score

ICDL Foundation Exam Specification

6

Syllabus Domains

ICDL Cyber Security Syllabus v3.0

ATC

Testing Locations

Accredited Test Centres

The ICDL Cyber Security module tests essential digital security skills. The exam consists of 36 questions over 45 minutes, requiring a 75% score (27 correct) to pass. It covers security concepts, malware types/vectors/protection, network security (wireless security, firewalls), secure web browsing/social media, secure communications (email, VoIP, SMS), and data security (encryption, backup, destruction). Certification is administered globally via local Accredited Test Centres (ATCs).

Sample ICDL Cyber Security Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your ICDL Cyber Security exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 106+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1An organization implements a policy stating that customer credit card numbers must be stored in an encrypted format and can only be accessed by authorized billing personnel. Which core principle of information security is directly being addressed by encrypting this sensitive data?
A.Confidentiality
B.Integrity
C.Availability
D.Non-repudiation
Explanation: Confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is accessed only by authorized individuals and kept hidden from unauthorized eyes. Encryption directly protects confidentiality by converting plain-text data into cipher-text, rendering it unreadable to anyone without the decryption key. While integrity prevents unauthorized modification and availability ensures access, they are not the primary goals of encrypting access-restricted data.
2A financial service database administrator notices that a system glitch has accidentally modified the account balances of several clients. What information security principle has been compromised by this unauthorized alteration of data?
A.Availability
B.Integrity
C.Confidentiality
D.Authentication
Explanation: Integrity is the security principle that guarantees information remains accurate, complete, and unaltered during storage, processing, and transmission. An accidental system glitch that alters database values directly violates the integrity of the data. Confidentiality deals with unauthorized disclosure, and availability deals with accessibility.
3A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack floods a company's e-commerce server with traffic, causing the website to become extremely slow and completely unresponsive to legitimate customers. Which pillar of the CIA triad does this attack target?
A.Confidentiality
B.Availability
C.Integrity
D.Accountability
Explanation: Availability is the assurance that systems and data are accessible to authorized users when they need them. A DDoS attack attempts to exhaust server resources (bandwidth, CPU, memory) so that legitimate users are blocked from accessing the service, directly compromising availability. Confidentiality and integrity are usually not affected, as DDoS attacks do not typically expose or modify stored database files.
4An office administrator accidentally sends an email containing internal employee payroll details to a public mailing list instead of the HR department. How is this type of security event classified in the threat landscape?
A.Malicious act
B.Human error
C.Technical failure
D.Force majeure
Explanation: Threats in the security landscape are broadly categorized into malicious acts (deliberate attacks), human errors (accidental mistakes by authorized users), technical failures (hardware/software glitches), and force majeure (natural disasters). Accidentally typing the wrong email recipient is a classic example of human error. It highlights the importance of training and administrative safeguards to prevent accidental data leaks.
5Which of the following events would be categorized as a threat due to "Force Majeure" within an organization's risk management plan?
A.A disgruntled employee deleting critical server configuration backups
B.A sudden hardware failure of the primary database hard drive array
C.A lightning strike causing a massive power surge and fire in the server room
D.An administrator failing to apply a security patch, leading to a ransomware breach
Explanation: Force majeure (acts of God) refers to natural disasters or environmental events that are completely outside of human control and cannot be prevented by standard security measures. A lightning strike causing a fire is an environmental disaster that falls under this category. Organizations prepare for force majeure through disaster recovery plans, off-site backups, and fire-suppression systems.
6A receptionist receives a phone call from an individual claiming to be a senior IT support technician. The caller states that there is an urgent network upgrade and requests the receptionist's active username and password to test the account. What type of security attack does this scenario represent?
A.Social engineering
B.Brute force attack
C.Man-in-the-middle
D.SQL injection
Explanation: Social engineering is the psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. In this scenario, the attacker uses impersonation and urgency to trick the victim into revealing credentials over the phone (a technique known as vishing). This highlights that humans are often the weakest link in security chains, requiring robust training to counter.
7A user receives an email containing a link to reset their online banking password. The email warns that the account will be permanently locked within 24 hours if action is not taken. The email greeting is generic, and the link points to "http://secure-verify-update.com/login" instead of the bank's real URL. What specific attack is this?
A.Smishing
B.Phishing
C.Whaling
D.Ransomware
Explanation: Phishing is a method of sending fraudulent emails designed to look like legitimate correspondence in order to trick the recipient into revealing credentials, clicking malicious links, or downloading attachments. Indicators in this scenario include the generic greeting, high sense of urgency (fear of lock-out), and a suspicious URL that does not match the actual bank domain. Smishing is sent via SMS, whaling targets C-level executives, and ransomware is malware that encrypts files.
8An unauthorized delivery driver carries a large cardboard box and waits near a secure office entrance. When an employee swipes their access card to enter, the driver follows closely behind before the door shuts, pretending to struggle with the heavy box. What social engineering term describes this action?
A.Shoulder surfing
B.Tailgating
C.Pretexting
D.Vishing
Explanation: Tailgating (also called piggybacking) occurs when an unauthorized person physically follows an authorized employee into a secured building or room without swiping their own credential. The attacker exploits the employee's natural politeness to bypass physical access controls. Shoulder surfing is looking over someone's shoulder, pretexting is creating a fake scenario, and vishing is phone-based phishing.
9A criminal obtains a target's full name, date of birth, and home address by searching public records and social media. They use this information to open new credit card accounts and make unauthorized purchases in the target's name. What is the correct term for this crime?
A.Identity theft
B.Denial of service
C.Data integrity bypass
D.Social engineering bypass
Explanation: Identity theft occurs when an attacker steals someone's personal identifying information (PII) to impersonate them, typically for financial gain, such as opening bank accounts, taking out loans, or committing tax fraud. It can result in severe financial loss and damage to the victim's credit rating. Safeguarding PII on social media and shredding documents help prevent it.
10An organization drafts a document that outlines what systems and networks employees are authorized to use, sets rules for internet browsing, and specifies consequences for installing unlicensed software. What is the standard name for this document?
A.Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
B.Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
C.Service Level Agreement (SLA)
D.Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
Explanation: An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is a formal document that defines the rules, constraints, and practices that users must agree to in order to access corporate networks, hardware, and the internet. It protects the company from security vulnerabilities (like unlicensed software download risks) and legal liabilities. NDAs protect secret information, SLAs define service uptime, and DRPs address emergency recovery.

About the ICDL Cyber Security Exam

The ICDL Cyber Security (formerly IT Security) module certifies foundational computer and data security skills. It covers essential security principles, malware detection and protection, network security (wireless and firewall configurations), safe web browsing and social media use, secure communications (email, IM, VoIP), and data management (backups, encryption, and secure destruction). Designed for everyday users, passing validates that you can use ICT safely and securely at home and in the workplace.

Assessment

36 questions covering 6 domains: Security Concepts (~15%), Malware (~20%), Network Security (~20%), Secure Web Use (~15%), Communication Security (~15%), and Secure Data Management (~15%). Questions are multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, or matching.

Time Limit

45 minutes

Passing Score

75%

Exam Fee

Varies by local test centre (typically €45 - €70 EUR / $50 - $80 USD) (ICDL Foundation)

ICDL Cyber Security Exam Content Outline

~15%

Security Concepts

Principles of information security (CIA triad), the threat landscape (malicious actors, human error, failures), social engineering techniques, identity theft, and organization security policies (Acceptable Use Policy, Password Policy).

~20%

Malware

Distinguishing malware types (viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, adware, rootkits, keyloggers), common vectors of infection, and software protection measures (antivirus scans, real-time guards, updates, firewalls).

~20%

Network Security

Network configurations (LAN, WAN, VPN), securing wireless connections (WEP, WPA2, WPA3, SSID hiding, MAC filtering, default admin credentials), access controls, and risks of public Wi-Fi networks.

~15%

Secure Web Use

Safe browsing habits, checking digital certificates and HTTPS indicators, browser security settings (cookies, cache deletion, pop-up and script blockers), and privacy settings on social networking platforms.

~15%

Communication Security

Secure email habits, configuring spam filters, identifying phishing emails (suspicious senders, urgent language, generic greetings), instant messaging security, and VoIP/SMS/Smishing safety.

~15%

Secure Data Management

Backup strategies (the 3-2-1 backup rule, full/incremental backups), file, folder, and disk encryption, physical data security measures, and methods for secure data destruction (degaussing, shredding, secure overwriting).

How to Pass the ICDL Cyber Security Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 75%
  • Assessment: 36 questions covering 6 domains: Security Concepts (~15%), Malware (~20%), Network Security (~20%), Secure Web Use (~15%), Communication Security (~15%), and Secure Data Management (~15%). Questions are multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, or matching.
  • Time limit: 45 minutes
  • Exam fee: Varies by local test centre (typically €45 - €70 EUR / $50 - $80 USD)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

ICDL Cyber Security Study Tips from Top Performers

1Understand the CIA Triad: Confidentiality (only authorized users see data), Integrity (data is accurate/unmodified), and Availability (authorized users can access data when needed).
2Learn to differentiate malware: Viruses attach to files and need human action; Worms self-replicate across networks without human action; Trojans disguise as legitimate software; Ransomware encrypts files to demand payment.
3Memorize wireless encryption standards: WPA3 is the most secure modern protocol, followed by WPA2. Avoid WEP as it is obsolete and easily cracked. Know why hiding the SSID or enabling MAC filtering provides only weak security (SSIDs are visible in frame headers, MAC addresses can be spoofed).
4Identify phishing indicators: Urgent language demanding immediate action, generic greetings ("Dear Customer"), spelling/grammar mistakes, mismatched hyperlinks, and requests for sensitive credentials or personal information.
5Remember the 3-2-1 backup rule: Keep 3 copies of your data, on 2 different types of media, with 1 copy stored off-site (e.g., in the cloud).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ICDL Cyber Security exam?

The ICDL Cyber Security exam (formerly IT Security) is a global certification module administered by the ICDL Foundation. It tests a candidate’s practical knowledge of how to protect systems, data, and communications from digital threats like malware, hackers, phishing, and data loss.

How many questions are on the exam, and what is the time limit?

The official exam contains 36 questions and has a strict time limit of 45 minutes.

What score is required to pass the ICDL Cyber Security module?

You must achieve a score of 75% or higher, which corresponds to answering at least 27 out of 36 questions correctly.

What is the difference between ICDL and ECDL?

ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) was the European brand name for the certification. It was rebranded to ICDL (International Certification of Digital Literacy) globally to align under a single international brand. The syllabus and exam formats are identical.

How much does the ICDL Cyber Security exam cost?

There is no fixed global fee. It varies by country and Test Centre, but typically costs between €45 - €70 EUR or $50 - $80 USD. You may also need to purchase an ICDL Profile or Skills Card if you are a new candidate.