IGCSE Computer Science 0478 · Topic 5

The internet and its uses: past paper questions

77 real questionsasked in 9 of the last 10 exam series2019–2026usually: Give, Complete, Identify, Describe, State

Real questions on the internet and its uses

The newest 20 of 77 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

0478/11 · May/June 2026 · Q6a[5]
Complete the paragraph about locating and retrieving web pages. Use the terms from the list. Some of the terms in the list will not be used. You should only use a term once. certificate database domain name server (DNS) encryption hypertext markup language (HTML) internet protocol (IP) address low-level language protoc...
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0478/11 · May/June 2026 · Q6b[2]
The transmission of data between the web browser on a device and a web server can be secured using the secure socket layer (SSL) protocol. Complete and annotate the diagram to show the process of sending the data using SSL. web server web browser
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0478/13 · May/June 2026 · Q5c(i)[1]
Give one other function of a web browser that the student could use to find the web page again.
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0478/13 · May/June 2026 · Q5c(ii)[2]
The web page has a uniform resource locator (URL). Identify two parts of a URL.
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0478/12 · February/March 2026 · Q2a[3]
Two functions of a web browser are to provide an address bar and to store cookies. Give three other functions of a web browser.
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0478/12 · February/March 2026 · Q2b(i)[1]
The URL is converted into an internet protocol (IP) address. Describe the purpose of an IP address.
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0478/12 · February/March 2026 · Q2b(ii)[3]
Explain how a URL is converted to an IP address.
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0478/12 · February/March 2026 · Q2c(i)[1]
State what is meant by a cookie.
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0478/12 · February/March 2026 · Q2c(ii)[2]
Give one example of how a website can use a session cookie and one example of how a website can use a persistent cookie. Each example must be different. session cookie persistent cookie
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0478/11 · October/November 2025 · Q4a[4]
Describe the process of phishing.
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0478/11 · October/November 2025 · Q4b[2]
Give two ways an employee could identify phishing.
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0478/11 · October/November 2025 · Q4c[3]
The company has installed anti-malware software on all employees’ computers. Give three examples of malware that anti-malware software can detect.
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0478/12 · October/November 2025 · Q6a[3]
Write down the three different parts of the URL shown by the labels a, b and c. https://www.cieclothes.com/index.html a a b b c c
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0478/12 · October/November 2025 · Q6b[3]
The web pages are stored on a web server. A proxy server is used to stop distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on the web server. Describe how the proxy server can stop a DDoS attack reaching a web server.
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0478/12 · October/November 2025 · Q6c[5]
Customers use the website to buy clothing from the company. Complete the table with the missing terms and descriptions about retrieving and displaying web pages. Term Description domain name server (DNS) It is a numerical address used to locate the web server. It is a secure protocol that can be used to transmit data s...
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0478/12 · October/November 2025 · Q6d[3]
The clothing company uses cookies to store customer details. Complete the statements about cookies. Use terms from the list. Not all terms need to be used. You should only use a term once. asymmetric static DNS symmetric dynamic user persistent utility software session web browser Cookies are stored and managed by the...
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0478/11 · May/June 2025 · Q9c(i)[1]
State what is meant by a digital currency.
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0478/11 · May/June 2025 · Q9c(ii)[1]
The digital currency uses a process that involves a digital ledger. The ledger has time stamped transactions that cannot be altered. Give the name of this process.
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0478/12 · May/June 2025 · Q5c(i)[6]
The patient enters the uniform resource locator (URL) for the web page into their browser and the web page is requested and displayed. Complete and annotate the diagram to show how the web page is requested for the patient. Patient’s computer www.cihospital.com URL input into patient’s computer
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0478/12 · May/June 2025 · Q5c(ii)[6]
A patient is making a payment through a secure connection. The secure connection is created using the secure socket layer (SSL) protocol. Explain how a secure connection is created using the SSL protocol.
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What examiners said

Comprehensive responses • Most candidates were able to identify at least one function of a web browser. Limited responses • Some candidates repeated the functions in the question. • Some candidates stated that it allows a user to access a website, which was also provided as part of the question.
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 0478/12 Q2(a) (Cambridge)

Comprehensive responses • Some candidates identified the purpose of the IP. Limited responses • Some candidates repeated that the IP provides an address to the device, with address being given in the question. These responses required more about the purpose of the IP address, the reason why a device needed an address. • Some responses gave partial answers, for example to allow a device to be iden...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 0478/12 Q2(b)(i) (Cambridge)

Comprehensive responses • Many candidates gave descriptions of some of the stages of the process, usually in a logical order. Limited responses • Some candidates stated that ‘a request’ was sent to the DNS from the web browser, without stating what was included in this request i.e. the URL or domain name. • Some candidates formed their answer in the same manner of the question, stating that the D...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 0478/12 Q2(b)(ii) (Cambridge)

Practise this topic

Answer these questions online and get each one marked against the official mark scheme, with what you missed and how to fix it.

Practise the internet and its uses

In the syllabus

1 0478.5.1.01 — Understand the difference between the internet • The internet is the infrastructure

Understand the difference between the internet • The internet is the infrastructure
• The world wide web is the collection of websites and web pages accessed using the internet
Understand what is meant by a uniform • A URL is a text-based address for a web page;
it can contain the protocol, the domain name and the web page/file name
Describe how web pages are located, retrieved • Including the role of:
– the web browser
– IP addresses – the domain name server (DNS) – the web server – HTML
Explain what is meant by cookies and how • Cookies are used for functions, including:
– saving personal details
– tracking user preferences – holding items in an online shopping cart – storing login details

2 0478.5.1.02 — • The world wide web is the collection of websites and web pages accessed using the internet

• The world wide web is the collection of websites and web pages accessed using the internet

3 0478.5.1.03 — Understand what is meant by a uniform • A URL is a text-based address for a web page;

Understand what is meant by a uniform • A URL is a text-based address for a web page;

4 0478.5.1.04 — it can contain the protocol, the domain name and the web page/file name

it can contain the protocol, the domain name and the web page/file name

5 0478.5.1.05 — Describe how web pages are located, retrieved • Including the role of:

Describe how web pages are located, retrieved • Including the role of:

6 0478.5.1.06 — – the web browser

– the web browser

7 0478.5.1.07 — – IP addresses – the domain name server (DNS) – the web server – HTML

– IP addresses – the domain name server (DNS) – the web server – HTML

8 0478.5.1.08 — Explain what is meant by cookies and how • Cookies are used for functions, including:

Explain what is meant by cookies and how • Cookies are used for functions, including:

9 0478.5.1.09 — – saving personal details

– saving personal details

10 0478.5.1.10 — – tracking user preferences – holding items in an online shopping cart – storing login details

– tracking user preferences – holding items in an online shopping cart – storing login details

11 0478.5.2.01 — Understand the concept of a digital currency • A digital currency is one that only exists

Understand the concept of a digital currency • A digital currency is one that only exists
electronically
Understand the process of blockchain and how • Blockchain, in its basic form, is a digital ledger,
that is a time-stamped series of records that cannot be altered

12 0478.5.2.02 — electronically

electronically

13 0478.5.2.03 — Understand the process of blockchain and how • Blockchain, in its basic form, is a digital ledger,

Understand the process of blockchain and how • Blockchain, in its basic form, is a digital ledger,

14 0478.5.2.04 — that is a time-stamped series of records that cannot be altered

that is a time-stamped series of records that cannot be altered

15 0478.5.3.01 — Describe the processes involved in, and the • Including:

Describe the processes involved in, and the • Including:
– brute-force attack
– data interception – distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack – hacking – malware (virus, worm, Trojan horse, spyware, adware, ransomware) – pharming – phishing – social engineering
Explain how a range of solutions are used to • Including:
– access levels – anti-malware, including anti-virus and anti-spyware – authentication (username and password, biometrics, two-step verification) – automating software updates – checking the spelling and tone of communications – checking the URL attached to a link – firewalls – privacy settings – proxy-servers – secure socket layer (SSL) security protocol

16 0478.5.3.02 — – brute-force attack

– brute-force attack

17 0478.5.3.03 — – data interception – distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack – hacking – malware (virus, worm, Trojan horse, spyware, adware, ransomwar

– data interception – distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack – hacking – malware (virus, worm, Trojan horse, spyware, adware, ransomware) – pharming – phishing – social engineering

18 0478.5.3.04 — Explain how a range of solutions are used to • Including:

Explain how a range of solutions are used to • Including:

19 0478.5.3.05 — – access levels – anti-malware, including anti-virus and anti-spyware – authentication (username and password, biometrics, two-step verifica

– access levels – anti-malware, including anti-virus and anti-spyware – authentication (username and password, biometrics, two-step verification) – automating software updates – checking the spelling and tone of communications – checking the URL attached to a link – firewalls – privacy settings – proxy-servers – secure socket layer (SSL) security protocol

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