www.dynamicpapers.

com

Cambridge International AS & A Level

* 3 9 3 7 6 3 7 8 6 1 *

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 9626/12

Paper 1 Theory May/June 2024

1 hour 45 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
● Calculators must not be used in this paper.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 70.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

This document has 12 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (CE) 327125/3
© UCLES 2024 [Turn over
 www.dynamicpapers.com
2

1 A building company has a relational database. The database has two tables: CUSTOMERS and
QUOTATIONS.

(a) The QUOTATIONS table has a foreign key.

Describe what is meant by the term foreign key.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) (i) Define the term referential integrity.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Explain why referential integrity is important.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24

 www.dynamicpapers.com
3

(c) Describe what is meant by the term relational database.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [5]

2 Describe how supercomputers are used for weather forecasting.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [6]
© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24 [Turn over
 www.dynamicpapers.com
4

3 A government is concerned about the digital divide amongst its citizens.

Describe how the government could reduce the effects of the digital divide and improve access to
its services.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [6]

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24

 www.dynamicpapers.com
5

4 Data can be kept secure by using the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS)
protocols when it is transmitted over the internet.

Describe the use of SSL/TLS to ensure data is kept secure.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [8]

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24 [Turn over

 www.dynamicpapers.com
6

5 There are various methods of verification.

(a) Describe why checksum verification is used.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) Describe a method of calculating a checksum.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

6 Describe these types of malware.

(a) Malicious bots ...........................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [4]
© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24
 www.dynamicpapers.com
7

(b) Rootkit ......................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [4]

(c) Virus ..........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [4]

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24 [Turn over

 www.dynamicpapers.com
8

7 Data can be collected by using a direct or an indirect data source.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using direct data compared to indirect data.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [8]

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24

 www.dynamicpapers.com
9

8 Sound editing software has a number of features that can be used to edit audio files.

(a) State two reasons why an audio clip may need to be trimmed.

Reason 1 ..................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

Reason 2 ..................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) State one reason why separate audio clips may need to be spliced together.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) Describe the term equalisation when applied to audio clips.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24 [Turn over

 www.dynamicpapers.com
10

9 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using a dialogue interface rather than a
gesture‑based interface.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................... [8]

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24

 www.dynamicpapers.com
11

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24

 www.dynamicpapers.com
12

BLANK PAGE

Permission to reproduce items where third‑party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer‑related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2024 9626/12/M/J/24