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112+ Free ICDL IT Security Practice Questions

Pass your ICDL IT Security (Irish Computer Society / ICDL Ireland) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: ICDL IT Security Exam

36 questions

Official ICDL IT Security certification test length

ICDL Foundation standard module test specifications

45 minutes

Time allowed for Workforce module certification tests

ICDL Foundation standard module test specifications

75% pass mark

Candidates need 27 out of 36 marks to pass

ICDL Foundation standard module test specifications

7 categories

Security Concepts; Malware; Network Security; Access Control; Secure Web Use; Communications; Secure Data Management

ICDL IT Security Syllabus Version 2

Syllabus 2

Current IT Security module syllabus version on ICDL Workforce pages

ICDL Global — IT Security

QQI mapped

ICDL certification mapped to Ireland's NFQ with exemptions for over 40% of QQI awards

ICDL Foundation — QQI reference

ATC delivery

Tests are taken at ICDL Accredited Test Centres across Ireland, not a single national exam venue

ICDL Ireland — Find a Test Centre

100

Free original practice MCQs on OpenExamPrep across all syllabus categories

OpenExamPrep

ICDL IT Security is an Irish ICDL Workforce module testing everyday cyber-security skills — malware, networks, access control, safe browsing, and data protection — at ICS Accredited Test Centres. The live exam has 36 MCQs in 45 minutes; you need 75% (27/36) to pass. This free 100-question bank gives extra multiple-choice practice across all seven official syllabus categories.

Sample ICDL IT Security Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your ICDL IT Security exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 112+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In ICDL IT Security, raw numbers in a spreadsheet cell are best described as which of the following?
A.Data before they are organised into a meaningful report
B.Information after analysis has been completed
C.Malware signatures stored by anti-virus software
D.Encrypted backup archives on external media
Explanation: The syllabus distinguishes data (raw facts and figures) from information (data processed into a meaningful context). Unformatted spreadsheet values are data until they are interpreted or summarised.
2Which term in the ICDL syllabus describes unauthorised attempts to break into computer systems or networks?
A.Backup rotation
B.Hacking
C.SSID broadcasting
D.File compression
Explanation: Hacking is listed alongside cybercrime as a threat to data and systems. It refers to attempts to gain unauthorised access rather than routine maintenance tasks.
3A cloud storage provider accidentally exposing customer files due to a misconfigured server is an example of what type of threat?
A.A hardware failure inside the user's keyboard
B.A deliberate social-engineering attack by the user
C.An accidental threat from a service provider
D.A routine software update from a trusted vendor
Explanation: The syllabus recognises threats from service providers, including accidental misconfigurations that expose data. Not all breaches require malicious intent from the provider.
4Which natural disaster is explicitly named in the IT Security syllabus as a threat to data availability?
A.Printing a document
B.Routine power-saving mode
C.Changing desktop theme
D.Earthquake
Explanation: Fire, floods, war, and earthquakes are cited as extraordinary circumstances that can destroy or block access to data, reinforcing backup and physical security planning.
5When storing files in cloud computing, which risk does the syllabus highlight regarding data control?
A.You may have less direct physical control over where and how data are stored
B.Cloud services always eliminate the need for passwords
C.Cloud storage makes encryption impossible by design
D.Cloud providers never experience outages or breaches
Explanation: Cloud computing can reduce direct control over data location and management, and may raise privacy concerns. Candidates should understand these trade-offs alongside convenience benefits.
6Which three properties form the basic information-security model taught in the ICDL IT Security module?
A.Speed, resolution, and refresh rate
B.Confidentiality, integrity, and availability
C.Upload, download, and latency
D.Hardware, firmware, and middleware
Explanation: The CIA triad — confidentiality, integrity, availability — is the foundation of information security in the syllabus. Each property addresses a distinct protection goal.
7Why does the syllabus emphasise protecting personal information on devices?
A.To allow anyone on the network to read your files
B.To increase monitor brightness for better visibility
C.To reduce identity theft, fraud, and privacy violations
D.To avoid installing any software updates
Explanation: Protecting personal information helps prevent identity theft, financial fraud, and unwanted disclosure of private details — key reasons listed under the value of information.
8Which workplace scenario best illustrates why protecting information on work devices matters?
A.Connecting a colour printer for marketing leaflets
B.Choosing a new screensaver for the reception PC
C.Increasing font size in a word processor
D.A stolen laptop leading to fraudulent use of client records
Explanation: Workplace information must be protected against theft, fraudulent use, accidental loss, and sabotage. Device theft with accessible client data is a direct syllabus-aligned risk.
9Which data-protection principle requires that personal data be collected only for specified, explicit purposes?
A.Legitimate purposes
B.Maximum file size
C.Screen resolution
D.Print queue priority
Explanation: Legitimate purposes is one of the common data/privacy principles in the syllabus, alongside transparency and proportionality. Data should not be reused beyond stated collection goals.
10In privacy terminology used by the syllabus, who is the individual whose personal data are being processed?
A.The network switch
B.The data subject
C.The firewall rule
D.The backup schedule
Explanation: A data subject is the person whose personal data are collected or processed. Data controllers decide how and why that processing occurs, within privacy principles.

About the ICDL IT Security Exam

The ICDL IT Security module (also marketed globally as Cyber Security) is a Workforce-level certification offered in Ireland through ICDL Accredited Test Centres under the ICDL Foundation programme co-founded by ICS in 1997. It teaches concepts and skills for the secure use of ICT in daily life: protecting information and data, defending computers and networks from malware, using firewalls and wireless security, managing passwords and access control, browsing the web safely, securing email and social communications, and backing up or securely disposing of data and devices. The official certification test contains 36 multiple-choice questions over 45 minutes with a pass mark of 75% (27/36), aligned to ICDL IT Security Syllabus Version 2. QQI has mapped ICDL certification to the National Framework of Qualifications, allowing candidates to use completed modules as exemptions toward many further-education awards.

Assessment

Single automated ICDL Workforce module certification test with 36 multiple-choice questions worth one mark each, combined with practical and hotspot-style tasks in the live test environment at an Accredited Test Centre.

Time Limit

45 minutes for the official certification test.

Passing Score

75% — candidates must score at least 27 out of 36 marks to pass, per ICDL Foundation standard module test specifications.

Exam Fee

Fees are not set centrally by ICDL Ireland or ICS. Training, testing, and Skills Card costs vary by Accredited Test Centre and ETB programme; contact your local centre for the current module price. (Irish Computer Society (ICS), operating ICDL Ireland under the international ICDL Foundation digital skills certification programme)

ICDL IT Security Exam Content Outline

20%

Security Concepts

Data vs information, cybercrime threats, CIA triad, privacy principles, social engineering, identity theft, macro settings, encryption advantages and limits, and password-protecting documents and archives.

15%

Malware

Malware definitions, trojans, viruses, worms, ransomware, spyware, anti-virus limits, updates, scheduled scans, obsolete software risks, quarantine, and vendor resolution resources.

14%

Network Security

Network types, connection security implications, administrator roles, personal firewalls, WEP/WPA/WPA2, SSID hiding, MAC filtering, hotspot security, and wireless attack types.

12%

Access Control

User names, passwords, PINs, encryption, MFA, OTPs, biometrics, network account hygiene, password policies, and password managers.

12%

Secure Web Use

Autocomplete and privacy data cleanup, HTTPS for banking, website authenticity, pharming, and parental or Internet filtering controls.

14%

Communications

Email encryption and signatures, phishing, social network privacy and dangers, IM/VoIP confidentiality, mobile app stores, permissions, and lost-device response.

13%

Secure Data Management

Physical security, backup frequency and locations, restore testing, permanent deletion vs ordinary delete, and secure destruction methods.

How to Pass the ICDL IT Security Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 75% — candidates must score at least 27 out of 36 marks to pass, per ICDL Foundation standard module test specifications.
  • Assessment: Single automated ICDL Workforce module certification test with 36 multiple-choice questions worth one mark each, combined with practical and hotspot-style tasks in the live test environment at an Accredited Test Centre.
  • Time limit: 45 minutes for the official certification test.
  • Exam fee: Fees are not set centrally by ICDL Ireland or ICS. Training, testing, and Skills Card costs vary by Accredited Test Centre and ETB programme; contact your local centre for the current module price.

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 IT Security Study Tips from Top Performers

1Download the official IT Security Syllabus Version 2 PDF from icdl.org and tick off each knowledge item as you study.
2Work through ICDL sample part-tests to see how theory MCQs are phrased, then use this bank for broader category coverage.
3Practise configuring a personal firewall and reviewing Wi-Fi security settings on a home router or mobile hotspot.
4Review phishing and smishing examples — they appear across email, web, and mobile communication categories.
5Set up a simple backup to an external drive or cloud folder and practise restoring a test file.
6Take timed 45-minute practice sessions with 36 questions to simulate the official test length and pace.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the official ICDL IT Security test in Ireland?

The certification test contains 36 multiple-choice questions, each worth one mark, delivered in a 45-minute session at an ICDL Accredited Test Centre.

What score do I need to pass ICDL IT Security?

The pass mark is 75%, which means at least 27 correct answers out of 36 marks, following ICDL Foundation standard specifications for Workforce modules.

Where do I take the exam in Ireland?

You sit the test at an ICDL Accredited Test Centre. ICDL Ireland lists centres nationwide at icdl.org/country/ireland; each centre sets its own training and testing fees.

Which syllabus version does this practice cover?

Questions are aligned to ICDL IT Security Syllabus Version 2, the version referenced on ICDL Global Workforce module pages with seven categories from Security Concepts through Secure Data Management.

Is IT Security the same as Cyber Security in ICDL?

ICDL Foundation markets the module as Cyber Security in newer programme tracks while retaining IT Security in Workforce materials. Both cover the same foundational secure-use-of-ICT skills; Ireland delivers the module through ICS-accredited centres under the international ICDL syllabus.

Are these the official ICDL exam questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep multiple-choice items for extra drill. ICDL publishes separate sample tests on its website; live certification tests also include practical tasks not fully replicated here.