TK Study

Past questions › sample-q19

2025 4 marks Short answer Secure Software Architecture (Year 12) Authentication and authorisation

NESA HSC Software Engineering Sample Examination + Marking Guidelines (official, 2025)

An app is being developed for use in a school. It will allow teachers to upload and assign work, and track student homework. Students can download work and upload their completed responses for marking. Explain how authentication and authorisation could be applied to this app. (4 marks, max 75 words)

Marking criteria

4: Explains how authentication AND authorisation could be applied. 3: Explains how authentication OR authorisation could be applied, OR outlines how both could be applied. 2: Outlines some features of authentication and/or authorisation. 1: Some relevant information.

Sample answer

Authentication ensures that only staff and students with valid usernames and passwords, which should be encrypted in storage (eg using hashing), can access the app. Authorisation controls access to specific features of the app based on user roles or groups. Teachers may have permissions to upload, assign and track homework, while students can only download tasks and upload completed work. By organising users into specific roles or groups, the app restricts access to appropriate functionality, ensuring that each user can only perform actions relevant to their role or group.

Question page · Practise and get marked