Predicted Paper 3 — BTEC IT Unit 1

RA10

PREDICTED PAPERS

BTEC Level 3 IT Unit 1 • Spring 2026

PREDICTED PAPER 3

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate

Information Technology
Unit 1: IT Systems

Paper Reference: RA10/IT/U1/PP3 • 90 marks • 2 hours

Topics Covered in This Paper

Q1IoT devices, embedded systems, wireless protocols, physical security threats[A1, B1, D1]

Q2Data compression (lossy/lossless), networking protocols, systems diagram[A1, B3]

Q3IaaS cloud models, remote working, virtual desktop infrastructure[C1, F1]

Q4Ransomware, malware defence, cyber-security evaluation, incident response[D1, D2]

Candidate Details

Name

Centre/School

Candidate Number

Date

Question	1	2	3	4	Total
Marks Available	22	22	22	24	90
Marks Awarded

Instructions

Answer ALL questions
Use black ink or pen
Fill in your details
Show working where required

Information

Marks shown in brackets
Answer in spaces provided
Read questions carefully
Check answers at the end

QUESTION 1 — 22 marks

AutoTech Manufacturing — IoT & Embedded Systems

A manufacturing company uses embedded systems and IoT devices on the factory floor to monitor production equipment, track inventory, and collect real-time data. Devices include RFID tags, sensors, and automated control systems. The company transmits data wirelessly to a central server for analysis.

(a)Define what is meant by an embedded system.(1)

(b)Give two advantages of using IoT sensors in a manufacturing environment.(2)

(c)Describe three security risks when using wireless IoT devices to transmit factory data.(3)

(d)Explain two ways AutoTech should secure IoT data transmission on the factory floor.(4)

1

2

QUESTION 1 (continued)

(e)Discuss the security implications for AutoTech of using wireless IoT devices in its manufacturing environment.(6)

QUESTION 1 (continued)

(f)Discuss the reliability and maintenance considerations for embedded IoT systems on the factory floor.(6)

Question 1 Total: 22 marks

QUESTION 2 — 22 marks

Broadmore University Library — Data Compression & Networking

A university library stores millions of digital documents, research papers, and multimedia files. The library wants to reduce storage space and improve download speeds. The IT team is considering data compression techniques to reduce file sizes while maintaining data integrity for archival documents.

(a)Define what is meant by data compression.(1)

(b)Explain one reason why the library should use data compression for digital documents.(2)

(c)Describe three network transmission techniques for improving download speeds when users access compressed library files.(3)

(d)Explain two benefits and two drawbacks of lossless data compression for archival documents.(4)

QUESTION 2 (continued)

(e)Discuss the implications for Broadmore University Library of implementing data compression on its archival documents.(6)

QUESTION 2 (f) — Diagram

(f)Draw a diagram to show how a library file moves from server to user.(6)

The diagram should include:

devices and systems used
compression on the library server
transfer over the network
decompression on the user device
the user opening the file
annotations for devices, data and connections

Use this page to draw your diagram.

Question 2 Total: 22 marks

QUESTION 3 — 22 marks

Westview Sports Club — IaaS & Remote Working

A sports club is transitioning from on-premise servers to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) in the cloud. Staff work from the clubhouse, offices at other locations, and from home. The club manages membership records, booking systems, and financial data which must remain secure and accessible to authorized staff.

(a)Define what is meant by Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).(1)

(b)Give two advantages of migrating from on-premise servers to IaaS for Westview Sports Club.(2)

(c)Describe three security considerations when staff access membership data remotely using IaaS.(3)

(d)Explain two ways the club should manage user access to financial data in the IaaS environment.(4)

1

2

QUESTION 3 (continued)

(e)Discuss the implications for Westview Sports Club of moving to an IaaS model where the cloud provider hosts critical infrastructure, including availability and support dependency.(6)

QUESTION 3 (continued)

(f)Discuss the implications, other than security, that Westview Sports Club should address when enabling remote working access to IaaS systems.(6)

Question 3 Total: 22 marks

QUESTION 4 — 24 marks

Lakeland Housing — Ransomware & Security Incident

A housing association manages property records and tenant data. Recently, the organization suffered a ransomware attack that encrypted critical files on the server and demanded payment for decryption. The attack disrupted operations and affected thousands of residents. The organization is now reviewing security measures and incident response procedures.

(a)Define what is meant by a ransomware attack.(1)

(b)Give two consequences of the ransomware attack on Lakeland Housing's operations.(2)

(c)Describe three preventive measures Lakeland Housing should implement to reduce ransomware risk.(3)

(d)Explain two elements that should be included in Lakeland Housing's incident response procedure.(4)

1

2

QUESTION 4 (continued)

(e)Discuss the implications for Lakeland Housing of the ransomware attack on tenant data security, service continuity and organizational reputation.(6)

QUESTION 4 (continued)

(f)Evaluate Lakeland Housing's strategy to prevent and recover from future ransomware attacks. Consider: technical controls, user training, backup strategies, incident response, legal compliance and ethical duty to residents.(8)

QUESTION 4 (f) — continued

Continue your answer to Question 4(f).

Question 4 Total: 24 marks • Paper Total: 90 marks