Deck 4: Auditing Database Systems

Question 1

There is more than one conceptual view of the database.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Time stamping is a control that is used to ensure database partitioning.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A recovery module suspends all data processing while the system reconciles its journal files against the database.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The data dictionary describes all of the data elements in the database.

Question 5

The database management system provides a controlled environment for accessing the database.

Question 6

Examining programmer authority tables for information about who has access to Data Definition Language commands will provide evidence about who is responsible for creating subschemas.

Question 7

To the user, data processing procedures for routine transactions, such as entering sales orders, appear to be identical in the database environment and in the traditional environment.

Question 8

A major difference between the database and flat-file models is the pooling of data into a common shared database.

Question 9

A customer name and an unpaid balance is an example of a one-to-many relationship.

Question 10

An important feature associated with the traditional approach to data management is the ability to produce ad hoc reports.

Question 11

When information system needs arise, users send formal requests for computer applications to the database administrator of the organization.

Question 12

A deadlock is a phenomenon that prevents the processing of transactions.

Question 13

Subschemas are used to authorize user access privileges to specific data elements.

Question 14

In the database method of data management, access authority is maintained by systems programming.

Question 15

In the relational model, a data element is called a relation.

Question 16

The physical database is an abstract representation of the database.

Question 17

The data definition language is used to insert special database commands into application programs.

Question 18

The database approach to data management is sometimes called the flat file approach.

Question 19

Under the database approach, data is viewed as proprietary or owned by users.

Question 20

Data normalization groups data attributes into tables in accordance with specific design objectives.

Question 21

A description of the physical arrangement of records in the database is

A) the internal view
B) the conceptual view
C) the subschema
D) the external view

Question 22

The earliest DBAs were based on the hierarchical data model.

Question 23

Data access methods allow records to be located, stored and retrieved. .

Question 24

An entity is any physical thing about which the organization wishes to capture data.

Question 25

The textbook refers to four interrelated components of the database concept. Which of the following is not one of the components?

A) the database management system
B) the database administrator
C) the physical database
D) the conceptual database

Question 26

In a hierarchical model

A) links between related records are implicit
B) the way to access data is by following a predefined data path
C) an owner (parent) record may own just one member (child) record
D) a member (child) record may have more than one owner (parent)

Question 27

Which of the following is not a problem usually associated with the flat-file approach to data management?

A) data redundancy
B) restricting access to data to the primary user
C) data storage
D) currency of information

Question 28

All of the following are basic data management tasks except

A) data deletion
B) data storage
C) data attribution
D) data retrieval

Question 29

The task of searching the database to locate a stored record for processing is called

A) data deletion
B) data storage
C) data attribution
D) data retrieval

Question 30

A lockout is a software control that prevents multiple users from simultaneous access to data.

Question 31

Users access the database

A) by direct query
B) by developing operating software
C) by constantly interacting with systems programmers
D) all of the above

Question 32

The term occurrence is used to describe the number of attributes or fields pertaining to a specific entity.

Question 33

Which characteristic is associated with the database approach to data management?

A) data sharing
B) multiple storage procedures
C) data redundancy
D) excessive storage costs

Question 34

Which statement is not correct? A query language like SQL

A) is written in a fourth-generation language
B) requires user familiarity with COBOL
C) allows users to retrieve and modify data
D) reduces reliance on programmers

Question 35

The data definition language

A) identifies, for the database management system, the names and relationships of all data elements, records, and files that comprise the database
B) inserts database commands into application programs to enable standard programs to interact with and manipulate the database
C) permits users to process data in the database without the need for conventional programs
D) describes every data element in the database

Question 36

Which characteristic is not associated with the database approach to data management?

A) the ability to process data without the help of a programmer
B) the ability to control access to the data
C) constant production of backups
D) the inability to determine what data is available

Question 37

The data manipulation language

A) defines the database to the database management system
B) transfers data to the buffer area for manipulation
C) enables application programs to interact with and manipulate the database
D) describes every data element in the database

Question 38

Which of the following is not a responsibility of the database management system?

A) provide an interface between the users and the physical database
B) provide security against a natural disaster
C) ensure that the internal schema and external schema are consistent
D) authorize access to portions of the database

Question 39

Which of the following may provide many distinct views of the database?

A) the schema
B) the internal view
C) the user view
D) the conceptual view

Question 40

Which duty is not the responsibility of the database administrator?

A) to develop and maintain the data dictionary
B) to implement security controls
C) to design application programs
D) to design the subschema

Question 41

When creating and controlling backups for a sequential batch system,

A) the number of backup versions retained depends on the amount of data in the file
B) off-site backups are not required
C) backup files can never be used for scratch files
D) the more significant the data, the greater the number of backup versions

Question 42

Which statement is false?

A) The DBMS is special software that is programmed to know which data elements each user is authorized to access.
B) User programs send requests for data to the DBMS.
C) During processing, the DBMS periodically makes backup copies of the physical database.
D) The DBMS does not control access to the database.

Question 43

Which procedure will prevent two end users from accessing the same data element at the same time?

A) data redundancy
B) data replication
C) data lockout
D) none of the above

Question 44

Which term is not associated with the relational database model?

A) tuple
B) attribute
C) collision
D) relation

Question 45

All of the following are elements of the DBMS which facilitate user access to the database except

A) query language
B) data access language
C) data manipulation language
D) data definition language

Question 46

Data currency is preserved in a centralized database by

A) partitioning the database
B) using a lockout procedure
C) replicating the database
D) implementing concurrency controls

Question 47

A replicated database is appropriate when

A) there is minimal data sharing among information processing units
B) there exists a high degree of data sharing and no primary user
C) there is no risk of the deadlock phenomenon
D) most data sharing consists of read-write transactions

Question 48

Which of the following is not a common form of conceptual database model?

A) hierarchical
B) network
C) sequential
D) relational

Question 49

In a direct access file system

A) backups are created using the grandfather-father-son approach
B) processing a transaction file against a maser file creates a backup file
C) files are backed up immediately before an update run
D) if the master file is destroyed, it cannot be reconstructed

Question 50

Data concurrency

A) is a security issue in partitioned databases
B) is implemented using time stamping
C) may result in data lockout
D) occurs when a deadlock is triggered

Question 51

In a relational database

A) the user's view of the physical database is the same as the physical database
B) users perceive that they are manipulating a single table
C) a virtual table exists in the form of rows and columns of a table stored on the disk
D) a programming language (COBOL) is used to create a user's view of the database

Question 52

In the relational database model all of the following are true except

A) data is presented to users as tables
B) data can be extracted from specified rows from specified tables
C) a new table can be built by joining two tables
D) only one-to-many relationships can be supported

Question 53

Which of the following is not an access control in a database system?

A) antivirus software
B) database authorization table
C) passwords
D) voice prints

Question 54

In the relational database model

A) relationships are explicit
B) the user perceives that files are linked using pointers
C) data is represented on two-dimensional tables
D) data is represented as a tree structure

Question 55

Which backup technique is most appropriate for sequential batch systems?

A) grandparent-parent-child approach
B) staggered backup approach
C) direct backup
D) remote site, intermittent backup

Question 56

All of the following are advantages of a partitioned database except

A) increased user control by having the data stored locally
B) deadlocks are eliminated
C) transaction processing response time is improved
D) partitioning can reduce losses in case of disaster

Question 57

The advantages of a partitioned database include all of the following except

A) user control is enhanced
B) data transmission volume is increased
C) response time is improved
D) risk of destruction of entire database is reduced

Question 58

What control maintains complete, current, and consistent data at all information processing units?

A) deadlock control
B) replication control
C) concurrency control
D) gateway control

Question 59

Which of the following is a level of the database that is defined by the data definition language?

A) user view
B) schema
C) internal view
D) all are levels or views of the database

Question 60

An example of a distributed database is

A) partitioned database
B) centralized database
C) networked database
D) all are examples of distributed databases

Question 61

Describe two tests of controls that would provide evidence that the database management system is protected against unauthorized access attempts.

Question 62

To preserve the confidentiality and integrity of the database requires:

A) biometric devices
B) user-defined procedures.
C) backup controls
D) inference controls
)

Question 63

All of the following tests of controls will provide evidence that access to the data files is limited except

A) inspecting biometric controls
B) reconciling program version numbers
C) comparing job descriptions with access privileges stored in the authority table
D) attempting to retrieve unauthorized data via inference queries

Question 64

How does the database approach solve the problem of data redundancy?

Question 65

What is a legacy system?

Question 66

Which of the following is not a test of access controls?

A) biometric controls
B) encryption controls
C) backup controls
D) inference controls

Question 67

What is a replicated database and what are the advantages of this approach?

Question 68

What is the partitioned database approach and what are its advantages?

Question 69

Why are the hierarchical and network models called navigational databases?

Question 70

Use the following words to complete the sentences in question(s).

The ____________________ allows users to retrieve and modify data easily.

Question 71

Which of the following is not a basic database backup and recovery feature?

A) checkpoint
B) backup database
C) transaction log
D) database authority table

Question 72

Describe an environment in which a firm should use a partitioned database.

Question 73

Use the following words to complete the sentences in question(s).

The __________________________ describes every data element in the database.

Question 74

What are two types of distributed databases?

Question 75

What is a database authorization table?

Question 76

Audit objectives for the database management system include all of the following except

A) verifying that the security group monitors and reports on fault tolerance violations
B) confirming that backup procedures are adequate
C) ensuring that authorized users access only those files they need to perform their duties
D) verifying that unauthorized users cannot access data files

Question 77

Use the following words to complete the sentences in question(s).

The __________________________ authorizes access to the database.

Question 78

Use the following words to complete the sentences in question(s).

_________________________ occurs when a specific file is reproduced for each user who needs access to the file.

Question 79

What is a database lockout?

Question 80

Use the following words to complete the sentences in question(s).

The conceptual view of the database is often called ____________________.