O-LevelComputer ScienceThe Internet and its uses2210/11 · May/June 2016 · Q85 Marks

A bank offers an online service to its customers. The bank has developed a “SafeToUse” system that asks each customer to enter four randomly chosen characters from their password each time they log in. The customer selects these four characters from drop-down boxes. For example: Please select the 2nd character 5th character 6th character 8th character

(a)(i)Explain why it is more secure to use drop-down boxes rather than entering characters using a keyboard.[2]
(a)(ii)Give a reason why the system asks for four characters chosen at random.[1]
(b)Biometrics is an additional form of security. Give two examples of biometrics.[2]

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Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2016). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] (a)(i) to protect against key logging software/spyware
[1] (a)(i) can stop key presses being recorded
[1] (a)(i) can stop key presses being relayed
[1] (a)(i) drop down boxes cannot be recorded as key presses
[1] (a)(i) drop down boxes can be placed in different location on the screen each time (to overcome screen capture issues)
[1] (a)(ii) hacker never finds all characters on the first hack
[1] (a)(ii) makes it more difficult for hackers to find the order of the characters
[1] (a)(ii) hacker needs to hack the system several times to gain the whole password
[1] (a)(ii) shoulder surfing will not give person full password
[1] (b) fingerprint scanner
[1] (b) face recognition software
[1] (b) retina scanner/iris scanner
[1] (b) voice recognition software

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