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Science and Technology for AP Exams · Chapter 2

ICT, E-Governance and Cyber Security

What to remember

  • Digital India (2015) aims to turn India into a digitally empowered society, with broadband, digital services and e-governance.
  • E-governance uses ICT for services between government and citizens (G2C), business (G2B), other government bodies (G2G) and employees (G2E).
  • Cyber law: the Information Technology Act 2000 (amended 2008) covers cyber crime; the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 protects personal data.

Computer and internet basics

A computer takes input, processes data, stores it and gives output. Hardware is the physical part, such as the CPU, memory and screen. Software is the set of programs; system software (like an operating system) runs the machine, and application software does user tasks.

Computer generations: first used vacuum tubes; second used transistors; third used integrated circuits; fourth used microprocessors; the fifth is linked with artificial intelligence.

TermMeaning
RAMTemporary, volatile memory used while working
ROMPermanent memory that keeps startup instructions
CPUBrain of the computer: control unit and arithmetic logic unit
Operating systemManages hardware and programs (for example, Windows, Linux, Android)
Bit and byteA byte has 8 bits

The internet is the global network of networks. The World Wide Web is a service on the internet that links pages through hyperlinks. Remember these terms: an IP address identifies a device; DNS (Domain Name System) converts website names into IP addresses; URL is the web address; HTTP is the protocol for web pages and HTTPS is the secure version; a browser opens web pages; email sends messages. Cloud computing gives storage and computing over the internet, in forms such as IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT) are new ICT areas that appear often in exams.

Digital India

The Digital India programme was launched in 2015. It has three vision areas: digital infrastructure as a utility for every citizen; governance and services on demand; and digital empowerment of citizens. Nine pillars are often listed: broadband highways, universal access to mobile connectivity, public internet access programme, e-governance, e-Kranti, information for all, electronics manufacturing, IT for jobs and early harvest programmes.

Key tools:

  • BharatNet: takes optical fibre broadband to Gram Panchayats.
  • Aadhaar: 12-digit unique identity number issued by the UIDAI.
  • UPI: instant payment system created by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
  • DigiLocker: cloud storage for official documents.
  • UMANG: mobile app that brings many government services together.
  • Common Service Centres (CSCs): village-level digital service points.
  • JAM trinity: Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile for direct benefit transfer.

E-governance

E-governance means using ICT to make government work transparent, fast and citizen-friendly. The National e-Governance Plan was approved in 2006. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) builds government IT systems.

ModelMeaningExample
G2CGovernment to citizenApplying online for a certificate
G2BGovernment to businessTax and licence filing
G2GGovernment to governmentData sharing between departments
G2EGovernment to employeeOnline service records and payroll

Common delivery models are the broadcasting model (spreading information), the critical flow model (giving information to key persons), the comparative analysis model (comparing outcomes) and the interactive service model (two-way service between government and citizen). Benefits are speed, lower cost, transparency and wider reach. Challenges are the digital divide, low digital skills, poor connectivity and data safety.

Andhra Pradesh initiatives (general): a citizen service delivery platform called Mee Seva; the Village and Ward Secretariat system connected by digital tools; Real Time Governance monitoring; AP FiberNet for broadband; e-office in departments; and use of messaging platforms for services. AP Technology Services supports the State's IT projects. Names of services can change, so check the latest official list.

Cyber crime

Cyber crime means a crime using a computer or network. Common types:

  • Phishing: fake messages or sites that steal data. Vishing uses calls and smishing uses SMS.
  • Malware: harmful software such as viruses, worms, trojans, spyware and ransomware (which locks files for payment).
  • Hacking: unauthorised access to a system.
  • DoS/DDoS: overloading a site so that it stops working.
  • Identity theft and online fraud: misuse of someone's identity or cheating through the internet.
  • Cyber stalking and cyber bullying: harassment online.
  • Skimming: copying card data using a device.
  • Deepfake: fake audio or video made using AI.

Cyber law and institutions

The Information Technology Act 2000 gives legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures and punishes cyber offences. It was amended in 2008. Important provisions:

SectionSubject
43Damage to computer systems, with compensation
66Computer-related offences
66CIdentity theft
66DCheating by personation using a computer
66FCyber terrorism
67Publishing obscene material
69Power to intercept or block under safeguards

Section 66A was struck down by the Supreme Court in the Shreya Singhal case as it limited free speech. CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) is the national agency for cyber incidents. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the national cyber crime reporting portal help citizens report crime. The helpline number 1930 is used for financial cyber fraud.

Data protection and privacy

In the Puttaswamy judgment (2017) the Supreme Court held that the right to privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 governs how personal data is processed. A Data Principal is the person whose data is collected. A Data Fiduciary decides why and how the data is processed. The Data Protection Board of India hears complaints and can impose penalties. The law relies on consent, and data should be used only for the stated purpose.

Cyber hygiene

  • Use long, unique passwords and a password manager.
  • Turn on two-factor authentication.
  • Never share OTP, PIN or CVV with anyone.
  • Update the phone and apps regularly.
  • Do not click on unknown links or install apps from unknown sources.
  • Use only secure (HTTPS) sites for payments.
  • Back up important data.
  • Report fraud quickly on the helpline or the national portal.

Emerging technologies and digital payments

Artificial intelligence lets machines perform tasks that need human intelligence, such as speech and image recognition. Machine learning means systems learn from data. Blockchain is a shared record of transactions that is hard to alter. The Internet of Things connects everyday devices to the internet. 5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks with higher speed and lower delay. Digital payments include UPI, debit and credit cards, mobile wallets and internet banking. The Reserve Bank regulates payment systems, and the National Payments Corporation of India runs UPI and RuPay. A digital signature proves that an electronic record is genuine and has not been changed; it uses a pair of keys, one public and one private.

Digital divide and digital literacy

The digital divide is the gap between those who can use ICT and those who cannot. It arises because of low income, poor network, lack of devices, language barriers and low skills. Programmes for digital literacy teach citizens to use phones, apps and online services. Content in local languages, such as Telugu, and voice-based services help reduce the gap. Public Wi-Fi and community service centres also help rural people. In e-governance, a strong back-end system and trained staff matter as much as the website.

Social media and online conduct

Platforms must follow rules on harmful content, grievance officers and takedown of unlawful posts. Citizens should not forward unverified messages, because fake news can cause harm. Posting private photos or abusive content can attract punishment under the IT Act and other laws. Children need parental guidance online, and schools teach safe use of the internet.

Exam traps

  • RAM is volatile; ROM is not.
  • Internet and the web are not the same; the web runs on the internet.
  • DNS converts names to IP addresses; it does not hide data.
  • G2C is government to citizen; G2B is government to business.
  • IT Act 2000 was amended in 2008; the DPDP Act is 2023.
  • Section 66A was struck down; Section 66F is cyber terrorism.
  • Phishing steals data; ransomware locks data; DDoS floods a site.
  • The right to privacy comes from Article 21, as held in Puttaswamy.

One-liners

  • 1. Digital India was launched in 2015.
  • 2. Aadhaar is a 12-digit number issued by the UIDAI.
  • 3. UPI is run by NPCI.
  • 4. BharatNet links Gram Panchayats by fibre.
  • 5. NeGP was approved in 2006.
  • 6. The IT Act was passed in 2000.
  • 7. Section 66C deals with identity theft.
  • 8. CERT-In deals with cyber incidents.
  • 9. 1930 is the helpline for financial cyber fraud.
  • 10. DPDP Act 2023 creates the Data Protection Board.
  • 11. Mee Seva is a citizen service platform in Andhra Pradesh.
  • 12. A byte is 8 bits.

Practice questions

  1. What does DNS do on the internet?

    1. Stores emails
    2. Converts website names into IP addresses
    3. Blocks viruses
    4. Encrypts payments
    Answer

    B. Converts website names into IP addresses

    The Domain Name System maps names to IP addresses.

  2. Which memory is volatile?

    1. Hard disk
    2. ROM
    3. Pen drive
    4. RAM
    Answer

    D. RAM

    RAM loses its data when power is off.

  3. How many bits are there in a byte?

    1. 4
    2. 16
    3. 32
    4. 8
    Answer

    D. 8

    A byte is a group of 8 bits.

  4. Which agency issues the 12-digit Aadhaar number?

    1. NIC
    2. UIDAI
    3. NPCI
    4. CERT-In
    Answer

    B. UIDAI

    The Unique Identification Authority of India issues Aadhaar.

  5. UPI is operated by which organisation?

    1. CERT-In
    2. UIDAI
    3. NIC
    4. NPCI
    Answer

    D. NPCI

    The National Payments Corporation of India runs UPI.

  6. Which project aims to connect Gram Panchayats by optical fibre?

    1. DigiLocker
    2. BharatNet
    3. RuPay
    4. UMANG
    Answer

    B. BharatNet

    BharatNet provides broadband to Gram Panchayats.

  7. Which app lets citizens store digital copies of official documents?

    1. BHIM
    2. DigiLocker
    3. UMANG
    4. CoWIN
    Answer

    B. DigiLocker

    DigiLocker is a cloud store for documents issued by agencies.

  8. G2C in e-governance stands for what?

    1. Government to company
    2. Government to cabinet
    3. General to computer
    4. Government to citizen
    Answer

    D. Government to citizen

    G2C refers to services from government to citizens.

  9. Which Act is the main law on cyber crime in India?

    1. Consumer Protection Act 2019
    2. Information Technology Act 2000
    3. Right to Information Act 2005
    4. Companies Act 2013
    Answer

    B. Information Technology Act 2000

    The IT Act gives legal recognition to electronic records and punishes cyber offences.

  10. Which section of the IT Act deals with identity theft?

    1. Section 66F
    2. Section 66A
    3. Section 67
    4. Section 66C
    Answer

    D. Section 66C

    Section 66C punishes identity theft.

  11. Which section of the IT Act deals with cyber terrorism?

    1. Section 43
    2. Section 66D
    3. Section 66F
    4. Section 66C
    Answer

    C. Section 66F

    Section 66F covers cyber terrorism.

  12. Which section of the IT Act was struck down by the Supreme Court in the Shreya Singhal case?

    1. Section 66C
    2. Section 69
    3. Section 66A
    4. Section 43
    Answer

    C. Section 66A

    Section 66A was struck down as it restricted free speech.

  13. Which agency is the national agency for responding to cyber security incidents?

    1. CERT-In
    2. UIDAI
    3. ISRO
    4. NPCI
    Answer

    A. CERT-In

    The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team handles cyber incidents.

  14. What is the helpline number for reporting financial cyber fraud?

    1. 108
    2. 1098
    3. 100
    4. 1930
    Answer

    D. 1930

    1930 is used to report cyber financial fraud.

  15. Which judgment held that the right to privacy is a fundamental right?

    1. Minerva Mills case
    2. Puttaswamy case
    3. Kesavananda Bharati case
    4. Shreya Singhal case
    Answer

    B. Puttaswamy case

    The Supreme Court in Puttaswamy held privacy to be part of Article 21.

  16. Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, who is the Data Principal?

    1. The company that stores the data
    2. The person to whom the data relates
    3. The court
    4. The hacker
    Answer

    B. The person to whom the data relates

    The Data Principal is the individual whose data is processed.

  17. Which body hears complaints under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023?

    1. Election Commission
    2. Finance Commission
    3. Data Protection Board of India
    4. Lok Pal
    Answer

    C. Data Protection Board of India

    The Act creates the Data Protection Board of India.

  18. A message pretending to be from a bank asks you to enter your PIN on a fake site. This is called what?

    1. Skimming
    2. Trojan
    3. Cookie
    4. Phishing
    Answer

    D. Phishing

    Phishing steals data using fake messages and sites.

  19. Malware that locks a user's files until money is paid is called what?

    1. Ransomware
    2. Spyware
    3. Adware
    4. Firewall
    Answer

    A. Ransomware

    Ransomware locks data and demands payment.

  20. Overloading a website with traffic so that it stops working is known as what?

    1. Spoofing
    2. Phishing
    3. DDoS attack
    4. Skimming
    Answer

    C. DDoS attack

    Distributed denial of service floods a site with requests.

  21. Which is the safest practice with an OTP?

    1. Share it with bank staff on call
    2. Never share it with anyone
    3. Send it by SMS to others
    4. Post it for family
    Answer

    B. Never share it with anyone

    An OTP is a secret code and should never be shared.

  22. Which web protocol is the secure version of HTTP?

    1. HTTPS
    2. FTP
    3. SMTP
    4. TCP
    Answer

    A. HTTPS

    HTTPS uses encryption to protect data.

  23. Which e-governance model involves service between government and business?

    1. G2E
    2. G2G
    3. G2C
    4. G2B
    Answer

    D. G2B

    G2B covers services such as tax and licence filing.

  24. A citizen applies for a certificate online and gets it by email. Which type of e-governance is this?

    1. G2C
    2. C2C
    3. G2G
    4. G2E
    Answer

    A. G2C

    It is a service from the government to a citizen.

  25. Which is the full form of IP in IP address?

    1. Information Process
    2. Internet Protocol
    3. Interactive Page
    4. Internal Program
    Answer

    B. Internet Protocol

    IP stands for Internet Protocol.

  26. Which Andhra Pradesh platform delivers citizen services online and through centres?

    1. APSRTC
    2. Polavaram Authority
    3. Mee Seva
    4. Aarogyasri Trust
    Answer

    C. Mee Seva

    Mee Seva provides government services to citizens.

  27. Which service in the cloud gives software over the internet?

    1. ROM
    2. BIOS
    3. IaaS
    4. SaaS
    Answer

    D. SaaS

    Software as a Service delivers applications over the internet.

  28. What does the digital divide mean?

    1. A broken screen
    2. Gap between people who can and cannot use ICT
    3. Gap between two computers
    4. A software error
    Answer

    B. Gap between people who can and cannot use ICT

    The digital divide is unequal access and skills in ICT.

  29. Which statement best explains two-factor authentication?

    1. It needs two phones
    2. It deletes old logins
    3. It uses two passwords of the same type
    4. It needs two proofs of identity to log in
    Answer

    D. It needs two proofs of identity to log in

    It combines something you know with something you have, such as a password and OTP.

  30. Which program is system software?

    1. Operating system
    2. Photo editor
    3. Word processor
    4. Spreadsheet
    Answer

    A. Operating system

    An operating system manages the machine, so it is system software.

  31. Consider these statements on Digital India. 1. It aims to provide digital infrastructure as a utility. 2. It is only about manufacturing.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Digital India covers infrastructure, services and empowerment, not just manufacturing.

  32. Consider these statements on the internet. 1. The web is a service that runs on the internet. 2. The internet and the web mean exactly the same thing.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    The web is one service on the internet.

  33. Consider these statements on the IT Act. 1. It gives legal recognition to digital signatures. 2. It was amended in 2008.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both statements are correct.

  34. Consider these statements on RAM and ROM. 1. RAM is volatile. 2. ROM loses data when power is off.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    ROM is non-volatile.

  35. Consider these statements on cyber hygiene. 1. Using two-factor authentication is a good practice. 2. Using one simple password for all accounts is a good practice.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Unique and strong passwords are safer.

  36. Consider these statements on the DPDP Act 2023. 1. It is based on consent of the data principal. 2. It lets any company use data for any purpose.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Data should be used only for the stated purpose.

  37. Consider these statements on CERT-In. 1. It responds to cyber security incidents. 2. It issues Aadhaar numbers.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    UIDAI issues Aadhaar.

  38. Consider these statements on Aadhaar and UPI. 1. Aadhaar is issued by UIDAI. 2. UPI is run by NPCI.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both statements are correct.

  39. Consider these statements on malware. 1. A worm can spread by itself. 2. Ransomware is a kind of malware.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both statements are correct.

  40. Consider these statements on e-governance challenges. 1. The digital divide limits access. 2. Low digital skills limit use.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are challenges.

  41. Consider these statements on Section 66A. 1. It was struck down by the Supreme Court. 2. It deals with cyber terrorism.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Cyber terrorism is Section 66F.

  42. Consider these statements on the privacy right. 1. It was held to be part of Article 21. 2. It was held to be only a statutory right.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Puttaswamy held it a fundamental right.

  43. Which e-governance model involves a two-way service between government and citizens?

    1. Broadcasting model
    2. Comparative analysis model
    3. Critical flow model
    4. Interactive service model
    Answer

    D. Interactive service model

    The interactive service model allows citizens to take part in and receive services.

  44. Fraud carried out through fake text messages is called what?

    1. Spamming
    2. Smishing
    3. Vishing
    4. Skimming
    Answer

    B. Smishing

    Smishing is phishing through SMS; vishing is through voice calls.

  45. Which organisation builds and manages many central government IT systems and portals?

    1. UIDAI
    2. National Informatics Centre
    3. CERT-In
    4. NPCI
    Answer

    B. National Informatics Centre

    NIC builds IT infrastructure for government departments.

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