Network Information Security — MSBTE PYQ Page 1

MSBTE

Network Information Security

Summer PYQ — Important Questions with Model Answers

MSBTE Examination Format · All Units Covered

24 5 2/4/6
Questions Units Marks

Unit Topic Questions

Unit 1 Basics of Network Security Q1–Q5

Unit 2 Cryptography Q6–Q11

Unit 3 Security Protocols Q12–Q15

Unit 4 Firewall, VPN, IDS, DMZ Q16–Q19

Unit 5 Attacks & Malware Q20–Q24

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Network Information Security — MSBTE PYQ Page 2

Unit 1 — Basics of Network Security

Q1. Define network security. State its objectives. 2 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

Network Security is the practice of protecting a computer network from unauthorized

access, misuse, modification, or denial of service by implementing hardware, software,
and policies.

OBJECTIVES

• Confidentiality — keep data private from unauthorized users

• Integrity — ensure data is not tampered during transmission
• Availability — ensure resources are accessible to authorized users
• Authentication — verify identity of users/systems
• Non-repudiation — sender cannot deny sending a message

Q2. Define: (i) Threat (ii) Vulnerability (iii) Attack (iv) Risk 2 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022, S-2021

i Threat: Any potential danger that could exploit a vulnerability to breach security (e.g.,
hacker, malware).

ii Vulnerability: A weakness in a system that can be exploited (e.g., unpatched software).

iii Attack: An intentional action that exploits a vulnerability to cause harm.

iv Risk: The probability that a threat will exploit a vulnerability and cause loss. Risk =
Threat x Vulnerability.

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Q3. Explain CIA triad in network security. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

CIA Triad is the foundation of information security consisting of three core principles.

Property Meaning Mechanism

Confidentiality Only authorized users can access data Encryption, Access Control

Integrity Data is accurate and not altered Hash functions, Digital

Signature

Availability Data/services available when needed Backup, Redundancy, DDoS

protection

Note: Loss of any one element weakens the overall security posture of the system.

Q4. Differentiate between active and passive attacks with examples. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2022, S-2021

Point Active Attack Passive Attack

Definition Attacker modifies or disrupts data Attacker only monitors/eavesdrops

Data change Data is altered Data is not altered

Detection Easier to detect Difficult to detect

Prevention Difficult to prevent Easier to prevent (encryption)

Goal Disrupt or damage Gather information

Examples DoS, Replay attack, Man-in-Middle Eavesdropping, Traffic analysis

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Network Information Security — MSBTE PYQ Page 4

Q5. Explain types of security attacks in detail. 6 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022, S-2021

A. PASSIVE ATTACKS

• Eavesdropping (Interception): Unauthorized listening to network traffic without altering

it.
• Traffic Analysis: Even if data is encrypted, attacker analyzes communication patterns
(frequency, timing) to extract useful information.

B. ACTIVE ATTACKS

• Masquerade (Spoofing): Attacker pretends to be another entity to gain unauthorized

access.
• Replay Attack: Valid data is captured and retransmitted to deceive the receiver (e.g.,
resending login packets).
• Modification of Messages: Portions of a message are altered, delayed, or reordered.
• Denial of Service (DoS): Prevents legitimate users from accessing services by flooding
with fake requests.
• Distributed DoS (DDoS): DoS attack launched from multiple systems (botnet)
simultaneously.
• Man-in-the-Middle: Attacker intercepts and possibly alters communication between two
parties.

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Network Information Security — MSBTE PYQ Page 5

Unit 2 — Cryptography

Q6. Define cryptography. State its types. 2 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

Cryptography is the science of securing communication by transforming plain text into

unreadable form (ciphertext) using an algorithm and key, so only authorized parties can
read it.

TYPES

• Symmetric Key Cryptography — same key for encryption and decryption (e.g., AES,
DES)
• Asymmetric Key Cryptography — different keys: public + private (e.g., RSA)
• Hash Functions — one-way encryption, no key required (e.g., MD5, SHA)

Q7. Differentiate symmetric and asymmetric key cryptography. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022, S-2021

Point Symmetric Asymmetric

Keys used One key (same for both) Two keys (public + private)

Speed Fast Slow

Key distribution Difficult (key must be shared) Easy (public key openly shared)

Security Less secure More secure

Key length Shorter (128/256 bits) Longer (1024/2048 bits)

Usage Bulk data encryption Key exchange, digital signature

Examples AES, DES, 3DES, RC4 RSA, DSA, ECC, Diffie-Hellman

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Q8. Explain RSA algorithm with a numerical example. 6 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) is an asymmetric encryption algorithm based on the

difficulty of factoring the product of two large prime numbers.

KEY GENERATION STEPS

1 Choose two large prime numbers p and q

2 Calculate n = p x q (modulus)
3 Calculate phi(n) = (p-1)(q-1)
4 Choose e such that 1 < e < phi(n) and gcd(e, phi(n)) = 1. Public key = (e, n)
5 Find d such that d x e = 1 mod phi(n). Private key = (d, n)

ENCRYPTION AND DECRYPTION

Encryption: C = M^e mod n Decryption: M = C^d mod n

NUMERICAL EXAMPLE (P=3, Q=11)

• n = 3 x 11 = 33; phi(n) = 2 x 10 = 20
• Choose e = 3 (gcd(3,20)=1) -> Public key (3, 33)
• d = 7 (3x7=21 = 1 mod 20) -> Private key (7, 33)
• Encrypt M=4: C = 4^3 mod 33 = 64 mod 33 = 31
• Decrypt C=31: M = 31^7 mod 33 = 4 (verified)

Q9. Explain Digital Signature with its working. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

Digital Signature is an electronic seal used to verify the authenticity and integrity of a
digital message or document. It uses asymmetric cryptography.

WORKING PROCESS

1 Sender: Original message hashed using hash function -> Message Digest
2 Digest encrypted with sender's private key -> Digital Signature
3 Message + Digital Signature sent to receiver
4 Receiver: Decrypts signature using sender's public key -> digest1
5 Receiver hashes received message -> digest2
6 If digest1 == digest2 -> Message is authentic and unaltered (verified)

PROPERTIES PROVIDED

• Authentication, Integrity, Non-repudiation

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Q10. Explain MD5 and SHA-1 hash functions. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2022, S-2021

Point MD5 SHA-1

Full Form Message Digest 5 Secure Hash Algorithm 1

Digest Size 128 bits 160 bits

Block Size 512 bits 512 bits

Rounds 4 rounds x 16 ops 4 rounds x 20 ops

Speed Faster Slower

Security Less secure (collision found) More secure

Use File integrity check SSL/TLS certificates

Note: Both are one-way functions — cannot reverse a hash to get original data.

Q11. Explain DES (Data Encryption Standard) algorithm. 6 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023

DES is a symmetric key block cipher that encrypts data in 64-bit blocks using a 56-bit key
through 16 rounds of permutation and substitution.

KEY PARAMETERS

• Block size: 64 bits | Key size: 56 bits (64 bits with parity) | Rounds: 16

WORKING STEPS

1 Initial Permutation (IP): 64-bit plaintext is permuted as per IP table

2 Split: Divided into L (left 32 bits) and R (right 32 bits)
3 16 Rounds: Each round: L_new = R_old; R_new = L_old XOR f(R_old, K_i)
4 f function: Expansion -> XOR with subkey -> S-box substitution -> Permutation
5 Final Permutation (IP-1): Inverse of IP applied -> Ciphertext output

LIMITATIONS

• 56-bit key is weak — can be brute-forced; replaced by 3DES and AES in modern systems

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Unit 3 — Security Protocols

Q12. What is SSL? State its purpose. 2 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a cryptographic protocol that provides secure

communication over a network by encrypting data between a client and server. It is now
replaced by TLS.

PURPOSE

• Provides authentication between client and server

• Encrypts data to ensure confidentiality
• Ensures data integrity during transmission
• Used in HTTPS, email, VoIP communication

Q13. Explain SSL Handshake Protocol. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022, S-2021

SSL Handshake is used to establish a secure session between client and server before
actual data transmission begins.

1 Client Hello: Client sends SSL version, cipher suites, and random number to server
2 Server Hello: Server responds with chosen cipher suite, session ID, and random
number
3 Server Certificate: Server sends its digital certificate (X.509) for authentication
4 Client Key Exchange: Client verifies certificate, generates Pre-Master Secret, encrypts
with server's public key
5 Session Key: Both sides compute Master Secret -> Session Keys (symmetric
encryption)
6 Change Cipher Spec + Finished: Both switch to symmetric encryption; handshake
complete

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Q14. Differentiate between IPSec AH and ESP. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2022, S-2021

Point AH (Authentication Header) ESP (Encapsulating Security

Payload)

Protocol Number 51 50

Authentication Yes (entire packet) Yes (payload only)

Encryption No Yes

Confidentiality No Yes

Integrity Yes Yes

NAT support Not compatible Compatible

Use case Integrity only needed Encryption + Integrity

Q15. Explain PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) in detail. 6 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

PGP is an email encryption program that provides cryptographic privacy and

authentication using a combination of symmetric and asymmetric cryptography (hybrid
approach).

SERVICES PROVIDED BY PGP

• Authentication: Using DSS/RSA digital signature

• Confidentiality: Using CAST-128/IDEA/3DES symmetric encryption
• Compression: Using ZIP before encryption to save space
• Email Compatibility: Converts binary data to ASCII using radix-64 encoding
• Segmentation: Long messages split into segments for email

WORKING (SENDING A MESSAGE)

1 Message hashed -> digest signed with sender's private key (digital signature)
2 Message + signature compressed using ZIP
3 Compressed data encrypted using one-time session key (symmetric)
4 Session key encrypted with receiver's public key (RSA/asymmetric)
5 Both sent together -> converted to ASCII via radix-64 -> emailed

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Unit 4 — Firewall, VPN, IDS & DMZ

Q16. Define firewall. State its types. 2 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

Firewall is a network security device (hardware or software) that monitors and filters
incoming/outgoing network traffic based on predefined security rules to protect the
internal network.

TYPES OF FIREWALLS

• Packet Filtering Firewall

• Stateful Inspection Firewall (Circuit-level Gateway)
• Application Layer Firewall (Proxy Firewall)
• Next Generation Firewall (NGFW)

Q17. Explain packet filtering firewall with advantages and 4 MARKS

disadvantages.
Appeared: S-2023, S-2022, S-2021

Packet filtering firewall examines each packet at the network layer and allows or blocks it
based on source IP, destination IP, port numbers, and protocol type.

WORKING

• Each incoming/outgoing packet checked against ACL (Access Control List) rules
• If packet matches ALLOW rule -> forwarded; if DENY rule -> dropped

ADVANTAGES

• Fast and efficient — works at network layer (Layer 3)

• Low cost, transparent to users
• Can filter by IP, port number, and protocol

DISADVANTAGES

• Cannot inspect packet contents (payload)

• Vulnerable to IP spoofing attacks
• No user authentication support
• Cannot detect application-layer attacks (e.g., SQL Injection, XSS)

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Q18. Explain VPN (Virtual Private Network) in detail. 6 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

VPN creates a secure, encrypted tunnel over a public network (Internet), allowing users
to access private networks as if they were directly connected to it.

WORKING PRINCIPLE

1 User's device connects to VPN server and authenticates

2 Data is encapsulated (wrapped) inside an encrypted tunnel using tunneling protocol
3 Data travels encrypted through public internet — cannot be read by third parties
4 VPN server decrypts and forwards data to destination

TYPES OF VPN

Type Description Use Case

Remote Access VPN Individual connects to org network remotely Work from home

Site-to-Site VPN Connects two office networks securely Branch connectivity

Client-to-Site VPN Mobile users to central site Mobile workers

VPN PROTOCOLS

• PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, OpenVPN, SSL/TLS

ADVANTAGES

• Data privacy and encryption | Bypass geo-restrictions | Secure remote access |

Cost-effective over leased lines

Q19. What is IDS? Differentiate IDS and IPS. 2 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2021

IDS (Intrusion Detection System) is a system that monitors network/system activities for
malicious behaviour and policy violations and generates alerts for administrators.

IDS IPS

Detects only Detects and prevents

Passive system Active/Inline system

Sends alerts only Blocks malicious traffic automatically

Out-of-band placement In-line with network

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Unit 5 — Security Attacks & Malware

Q20. Explain DoS and DDoS attacks. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022, S-2021

DoS (Denial of Service): An attack that floods a server/network with excessive traffic or
requests, making it unavailable to legitimate users.

TYPES OF DOS

• Flood Attack: Sends huge number of ICMP/UDP/SYN packets to exhaust resources

• Ping of Death: Sends malformed/oversized ping packets to crash the system
• Smurf Attack: Spoofed broadcast pings amplify traffic to victim

DDoS (Distributed DoS): Same as DoS but attack is launched from many compromised
systems (botnet) simultaneously, making it harder to block.

COMPARISON

DoS DDoS

Single source Multiple sources (botnet)

Easier to block Very difficult to block

Low traffic volume Massive traffic volume

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Q21. Explain types of malware: Virus, Worm, Trojan Horse, 6 MARKS

Ransomware.
Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

Malware Definition Spreading Example

Virus Self-replicating code that Needs host file/user ILOVEYOU, Melissa

attaches to legitimate action
programs

Worm Self-replicates and spreads Automatic via network Morris, Blaster

across network without user
action

Trojan Horse Disguised as legitimate User downloads/installs Zeus, njRAT

software but performs
malicious actions

Ransomware Encrypts files and demands Email attachment, exploit WannaCry,

payment for decryption key CryptoLocker

Spyware Secretly monitors and Bundled with software Keyloggers

collects user data/keystrokes

PREVENTION MEASURES

• Install antivirus software, keep OS updated, avoid suspicious links/attachments, use

firewall

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Q22. Explain SQL Injection and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2022, S-2021

SQL Injection: Attacker inserts malicious SQL code into input fields of a web application
to manipulate the backend database.

SQL INJECTION EXAMPLE

• Input: ' OR '1'='1 -> bypasses login authentication

• Can delete tables: DROP TABLE users; --
PREVENTION OF SQL INJECTION

• Use parameterized queries / prepared statements, input validation, stored procedures

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Attacker injects malicious scripts into web pages viewed by
other users, stealing cookies, session tokens, or credentials.

TYPES OF XSS

• Stored XSS: Malicious script saved in database, executes when page is loaded
• Reflected XSS: Script embedded in URL, reflected back from server response
PREVENTION OF XSS

• Input validation, output encoding, Content Security Policy (CSP) headers

Q23. Explain DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) in network security. 6 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023

DMZ is a physical or logical subnet that separates an organization's internal LAN from
untrusted external networks (Internet) by placing public-facing servers between two
firewalls.

DMZ ARCHITECTURE
[Internet] --> [Outer Firewall] --> [DMZ: Web/Mail/DNS Servers] --> [Inner Firewall] --> [Internal
LAN]

ADVANTAGES

• Public servers (web, mail, DNS) placed in DMZ — accessible from internet but isolated
from internal LAN
• Even if DMZ server is compromised, internal network remains protected
• Two-firewall design provides double protection layer
• Reduces attack surface of the internal network significantly

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Q24. Explain Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm. 4 MARKS

Appeared: S-2023, S-2022

Diffie-Hellman allows two parties to securely exchange a shared secret over an insecure
channel without transmitting the actual key itself.

1 Alice and Bob publicly agree on prime p and generator g

2 Alice chooses private key a -> computes A = g^a mod p -> sends A to Bob
3 Bob chooses private key b -> computes B = g^b mod p -> sends B to Alice
4 Alice computes shared secret: s = B^a mod p
5 Bob computes shared secret: s = A^b mod p
6 Both arrive at same shared secret s — used as session key for encryption

Security basis: Attacker sees A, B, p, g but cannot compute s without knowing private key a
or b. This is called the Discrete Logarithm Problem.

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