CIE AS-LEVEL INOFRMATION TECHNOLOGY//9626

• Information can be viewed offline since no live data is

1. DATA, INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE AND required.
PROCESSING • More likely to be accurate since information will be
validated before information.
1.1 Data, Information and Knowledge • Dynamic information source: Information is
• Data: A collection(string) of text, numbers, symbols, automatically updated when source data changes.
images or sound in raw or unorganized form that has no • Information most likely to be up to date.
meaning on its own. • An internet/network connection to source data is
• Information: Data that has been processed and given required.
context and meaning and can be understood on its own. • Data may be less accurate since it is produced very
• Knowledge: The acquisition by a person or medium of quickly so may contain errors.
information such as facts, or
of information which requires understanding such as 1.3 Quality of information
how to solve problems. • Accuracy: Data must be accurate.
• Knowledge base: the amount of information a person or • Relevance: Information must be relevant to its purpose.
medium knows that often expands over time with the • Age: Information must be up to date.
addition of new information. • Level of detail: Good quality information required the
right amount of information.
1.2 Sources of Data • Completeness: All information required should be
• Static data: data that does not normally change and present.
remains constant.
• Dynamic data: data that changes automatically without 1.4 Coding, encoding and encrypting data
user intervention. • Coding: representing data by assigning a code to it for
• Direct data source: Data collected first-hand for a classification or identification.
specific purpose. • Advantages of coding data:
• Collected data will be relevant to purpose. • Data can be presented in small space
• Original source is verified. • Less storage space is required
• May take a long time to collect and taking large samples • Speed of input increases
of data is difficult. • Data can be processed faster
• Data will be up to date. • Validation becomes easier
• Data collected can be presented in required format. • Increases confidentiality
• Data is more likely to be unbiased. • Increases consistency
• Indirect data source: data collected from a secondary • Disadvantages of coding data:
source; originally collected for a different purpose. • Limited number of codes
• Required data may not exist or Additional and irrelevant • Interpretation may be difficult
data may exist which requires sorting. • Similarity may lead to errors (O and 0)
• Original source is not verified. • Efficiency decreases if user does not know the code
• Data is immediately available and large samples for • Some information may get lost during coding
statistical analysis more likely to be available. • Encoding: Storing data in a specific format
• Data may not be up to date. • Text can be encoded with numbers that is then
• Data is likely to be biased due to unverified source. represented by a binary number.
• Extraction may be difficult if in different format. • ASCII (American Standard Code for Information
• Static information source: Sources where information Interchange) is a common method for encoding text.
does not change on a regular basis. • Images are encoded as bitmaps through various
• Information can go out of date quickly. parameters (such as width/height, bit count,

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 CIE AS-LEVEL INOFRMATION TECHNOLOGY//9626
compression type, horizontal/vertical resolution and • Digital video (DV) is a lossless compression method.
raster data.) • Advantages of encoding data include reduced file size
• Images are often encoded into file types such as: and enabling different formats to be used.
o JPEG/JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) • Disadvantages of encoding data include the variety of
o GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) encoding methods which results in a large variety of file
o PNG (Portable Network Graphics) types meaning more codecs need to be installed and
o SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) compatibility issues.
• Sound is encoded by storing the sample rate, bit depth • Encryption: the scrambling of data so it cannot be
and bit rate. understood without a decryption key so that it is
• When sound is recorded, it is converted from analogue unreadable if intercepted. Encryption is a type of
to digital format, which is broken down into thousands encoding.
of samples per second. • Cipher: A secret way of writing/code. It is a special type
• The Sample rate or frequency, is the number of audio of algorithm which defines a set of rules to follow to
samples per second. Measure in Hertz (Hz) encrypt a message.
• The bit depth is the number of bits (1s and 0s) used for • Caesar Cipher: A.k.a shift cipher because it selects
each sound clip. replacement letters by shifting along the alphabet.
• The bit rate is the number of bits processed every • Symmetric encryption: requires both the sender and
second. receiver to possess the secret encryption and decryption
• bit rate= sample rate x bit depth x number of channels key(s). Requires the secret key to bent to the recipient.
• bit rate is measured in kilobits per second (kbps) • Asymmetric encryption: A.k.a public-key cryptography.
• Uncompressed encoding uses WAV (Waveform Audio Includes a public key which is available to anyone
File Format) sending data, and a private key that is known only to the
• There are two types of compression: recipient. The key is the algorithm required to encrypt
• lossy compression: reduces files size by reducing bit rate, and decrypt the data.
causing some loss in quality • Secure Sockets Layer(SSL) is the security method used
• lossless compression: reduces the file size without losing for secure websites; Transport Layer Security(TLS) has
any quality but can only reduce the file size to about 50% superseded SSL but they are both referred to as SSL.
• Video encoding requires storage of both Images and Asymmetric encryption is used for SSL, and once SSL has
sound. established an authenticated session, the client and
• Images are stored as frames with standard quality video server will create symmetric keys for faster secure
normally having 24 frames per second(fps) while High communication.
definition (HD) uses 50-60fps on average. • Disk encryption is used in hard disks and other storage
• fps is directly proportional to quality and storage space media such as backup tapes and Universal Serial
required. Bus(USB) flash memory. It encrypts every single bit of
• HD video will have an image size of 1920px wide and data stored on a disk, and data is usually accessed
1080px high. Image size is also proportional to storage through a password or using a registered fingerprint.
space. • HTTPS - Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is the
• The bit rate for videos combines both the audio and encryption standard used for secure web pages and uses
frames that need to be processed every second. SSL or TLS to encrypt/decrypt pages and information
• Higher frame rate requires higher bit rate. sent and received by web users.
• Lossy Compression of video usually involves reducing: • When a browser requests a secure page, it will check the
o resolution digital certificate to ensure that it is trusted, valid and
o image size that the certificate is related to the sire which it
o bit rate originates. The browser then uses a public key to encrypt
• MP4 is a common lossy compression format, which is a a new symmetric key that is sent to the web server. The
codec made by MPEG (Moving Pictures Expert Group). browser and web server can then communicate using a

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 CIE AS-LEVEL INOFRMATION TECHNOLOGY//9626
symmetric encryption key, which is much faster than 2. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
asymmetric encryption.
• Email encryption uses asymmetric encryption. 2.1 Hardware
Encrypting an email will also encrypt any attachments. • Hardware: A physical component of a computer system.
• Encryption only scrambles the data so that if it is found, • Device: a hardware component of a computer system
it cannot be understood. It does not stop the data from consisting of electronic components.
being intercepted, stolen or lost. • Output Devices: a device used to communicate data or
information from a computer system.
1.5 Checking the accuracy of data • Input Device: a device that allows data to be entered to
• Validation: the process of checking data to make sure it a computer system.
matches acceptable rules. • Storage Device: a device used to store data on a storage
• Proof reading: checking information manually. medium.
• Presence check: used to ensure that data is • Storage medium: a medium on which data is stored.
entered(present).
• Central Processing Unit (CPU): the CPU carries out the
• Limit check: ensures that data is within a defined range.
calculations, executes instructions and processes data.
contains one boundary, either the highest possible value
The CPU consists of an ALU (Arithmetic Logical Unit) and
or the lowest possible value.
the CU (Control Unit).
• Range check: ensures that data is within a defined
• Arithmetic Logical Unit (ALU): Performs Calculations and
range. contains two boundaries, the lower boundary and
logical operations.
the upper boundary.
• Control Unit: The CU runs the fetch-execute cycle which
• Type check: ensures that data must be of a defined data
fetches instructions from memory and executes them.
type.
• Motherboard: Printed circuit board (PCB) that connects
• Length check: ensures data is of a defined length or
within a range of lengths. the main components of a computer.
• Format check: ensures data matches a defined format. • RAM (Random Access Memory): Memory used to store
• Lookup check: rests to see if data exists in a list. Similar currently active programs and volatile data.
to referential integrity. • ROM (Read-Only Memory): The memory that, once
• Consistency check: compares data in one field with data written to cannot be removed and can only be read
in another field that already exists within a record, to (involatile). ROMs usually store the BI/OS of a system.
check their consistency. • Graphics Card: A.k.a Video card/graphics adapter. A PCB
• Verification: the process of checking whether data that controls the output to a display screen.
entered into the system matches the original source. • Sound Card: an expandable component that enables the
• Visual checking: Visually checking the data if it matches use of audio components in a computer.
the original source, by reading and comparing, usually by • HDD (Hard Disk Drive): Most common form of
the user. secondary storage for a computer due to its relatively
• Double data entry: Data is input into the system twice low cost per MB (megabyte). Data stored on an HDD is
and checked for consistency by comparing. non-volatile. The drive includes a read-write head which
• By using both validation and verification, the chances of sits at the end of an access arm and magnetizes sectors
entering incorrect data are reduced. on the disk (platter). Moving parts increase chance of
failure
o Cheapest cost per MB
o Requires constant supply of electricity when the disk is
spinning.
o Speed of access depend on SATA connection used.
• HDDs be Internally connected to the computer using a
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) or
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) cable.
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