(Electronic Data Processing Test) Flashcards

Which of the following can be utilized in an online computer system to verify that users have the right authorization to carry out a task?

Answer: Passwords

Passwords are a fundamental security control used to verify a user's identity and determine their authorization levels within a computer system. By requiring a unique password, the system ensures that only authenticated users can access specific functions or data, thereby controlling who can carry out a task.

Data clerks add up the employee gross pay amounts for each batch of payroll transactions for control purposes. Which of the following summaries best sums up the final result?

Answer: Financial total

A financial total is a sum of a field that has intrinsic monetary value, such as gross pay, sales amounts, or invoice totals. These totals are used for control purposes to ensure accuracy and completeness of data processing. A hash total, in contrast, sums non-financial fields (like employee IDs) where the total itself has no inherent meaning but is used for error detection.

Inadvertently, a customer places an order for part number 1234-8 rather than 1243-8. Which of the subsequent controls would pick up this problem when it was being processed?

Answer: Check digit

A check digit is a single digit computed from the other digits in a number and appended to it, primarily used to detect errors during data entry, such as transcription (single digit error) or transposition (swapping two adjacent digits) errors. If '1234-8' is entered instead of '1243-8', a check digit algorithm would likely identify '1234-8' as an invalid number if '8' is not the correct check digit for '1234', thus catching the transposition error.

Which of the subsequent controls would stop the condition below? Because he typed ABC, an invalid code, instead of CAB in his department identification code, the employee's paycheck was processed improperly.

Answer: Table-lookup procedure

A table-lookup procedure is a control that validates input data by checking if an entered code or value exists in a predefined master file or table of valid entries. If 'ABC' is an invalid department code, a table-lookup would compare it against the list of approved codes and reject it because it does not match any valid entry, preventing improper processing.

When master files are kept on what, can the son-father-grandfather backup strategy be used?

Answer: Both Magnetic disk and Magnetic tape

The son-father-grandfather backup strategy is a method of rotating backup media to ensure multiple generations of data are preserved. This strategy is applicable to any storage medium capable of holding sequential backups, including both magnetic tape (which is inherently sequential) and magnetic disk (which can be used for sequential backups, even though it also supports direct access). Therefore, master files kept on either magnetic disk or magnetic tape can utilize this robust backup approach.

The following details are revealed via an analysis of an EDP system. Which of these might have weak internal control?

Answer: Users must orally consent to all application program updates.

Oral consent for application program updates represents a weak internal control because it lacks documentation and an audit trail. Without written authorization, it is difficult to verify who approved changes, when they were approved, or to hold individuals accountable. Strong internal controls require formal, documented procedures for all system changes to ensure integrity and security.

Data clerks add up the employee Social Security numbers in each batch of payroll transactions for control purposes. Which of the following summaries best sums up the final result?

Answer: Hash total

A hash total is a control total calculated by summing non-financial numeric fields, such as employee Social Security numbers, for error detection. The sum itself has no intrinsic meaning but is used to verify that all records in a batch have been processed and that no data has been lost or altered during processing. It differs from a financial total, which sums monetary values, or a record count, which simply counts the number of items.