CSCU Encryption and Cryptography 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does AES stand for in cryptography?
- Advanced Encryption Standard (Correct answer)
- Automated Encryption System
- Applied Encryption Software
- Advanced Encoding Scheme
Correct answer: Advanced Encryption Standard
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a widely adopted symmetric encryption algorithm standardized by NIST and used by the US government.
Question 2: What is RSA primarily used for in cryptography?
- Compressing files for storage efficiency
- Scanning networks for vulnerabilities
- Asymmetric encryption and digital signatures (Correct answer)
- Creating strong cryptographic hash values
Correct answer: Asymmetric encryption and digital signatures
RSA is an asymmetric cryptographic algorithm used for secure data transmission and creating digital signatures.
Question 3: What is end-to-end encryption (E2EE)?
- Encryption applied only at the receiving server
- Encryption where only the communicating parties can read the messages (Correct answer)
- Encryption of data stored on backup drives only
- Encryption of network traffic applied at the router level
Correct answer: Encryption where only the communicating parties can read the messages
E2EE ensures that data is encrypted on the sender's device and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient, with no one in between able to read it.
Question 4: What is a cryptographic hash function primarily used for?
- Encrypting data so it can be decrypted later with a key
- Compressing large files for storage
- Creating a fixed-size digital fingerprint of data (Correct answer)
- Generating asymmetric key pairs
Correct answer: Creating a fixed-size digital fingerprint of data
Hash functions produce a fixed-length digest (fingerprint) of data, used to verify data integrity since any change to input produces a different hash.
Question 5: What does PKI stand for?
- Personal Key Infrastructure
- Public Key Infrastructure (Correct answer)
- Private Key Integration
- Protocol Key Interface
Correct answer: Public Key Infrastructure
PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) is the framework of policies, hardware, software, and procedures used to manage digital certificates and public-key encryption.
Question 6: Which protocol is used to establish an encrypted connection between a web browser and a server?
- FTP
- SMTP
- TLS/SSL (Correct answer)
- DNS
Correct answer: TLS/SSL
TLS (Transport Layer Security), formerly known as SSL, establishes encrypted and authenticated connections between clients and servers.
Question 7: What is a digital signature used to verify?
- The strength of the encryption algorithm used
- The authenticity and integrity of a digital message or document (Correct answer)
- The speed of an encrypted network connection
- The length of a cryptographic key
Correct answer: The authenticity and integrity of a digital message or document
A digital signature authenticates the sender's identity and confirms the message or document has not been altered since it was signed.
CSCU Encryption and Cryptography 2
What does AES stand for in cryptography?