Which of the following best describes forward secrecy?
a) It prevents the sender from denying that they sent a message b) It ensures that a session key is not reused in future sessions c) It allows a message to be encrypted using the recipient’s public key d) It ensures that the same key is used for encryption and decryption
Correct Answer: b) It ensures that a session key is not reused in future sessions
Explanation: Forward secrecy ensures that session keys are not reused in future sessions, providing additional security by preventing compromise of past communications.
Question 42
Which of the following cryptographic techniques provides non-repudiation?
a) Symmetric encryption b) Hashing c) Digital signatures d) Stream ciphers
Correct Answer: c) Digital signatures
Explanation: Digital signatures provide non-repudiation by ensuring that the sender cannot deny sending the message, as it is tied to their private key.
Question 43
Which of the following encryption algorithms is typically used to secure web traffic over HTTPS?
a) AES b) RSA c) DES d) SHA-256
Correct Answer: b) RSA
Explanation: RSA is commonly used in HTTPS for secure key exchanges, as it provides strong encryption and supports digital signatures.
Question 44
Which cryptographic algorithm is commonly used for generating a hash value?
a) AES b) RSA c) SHA-256 d) Diffie-Hellman
Correct Answer: c) SHA-256
Explanation: SHA-256 is a cryptographic hash algorithm that generates a fixed-length hash value, ensuring data integrity.
Question 45
What is the primary function of a Certificate Authority (CA) in public key infrastructure?
a) To generate encryption keys b) To issue and manage digital certificates c) To encrypt data for secure transmission d) To store private keys securely
Correct Answer: b) To issue and manage digital certificates
Explanation: A Certificate Authority (CA) is responsible for issuing, managing, and validating digital certificates used in public key infrastructure (PKI).
Question 46
Which cryptographic attack involves intercepting communications between two parties and altering the data without their knowledge?
a) Man-in-the-middle attack b) Replay attack c) Known-plaintext attack d) Side-channel attack
Correct Answer: a) Man-in-the-middle attack
Explanation: In a man-in-the-middle attack, the attacker intercepts and potentially alters the communication between two parties without their knowledge.
Question 47
What is the key length for AES-256 encryption?
a) 128 bits b) 192 bits c) 256 bits d) 64 bits
Correct Answer: c) 256 bits
Explanation: AES-256 uses a 256-bit key for encryption, providing a higher level of security than AES-128 or AES-192.
Question 48
Which of the following cryptographic algorithms is commonly used for generating a digital signature?
a) AES b) RSA c) DES d) SHA-256
Correct Answer: b) RSA
Explanation: RSA is widely used for generating digital signatures, which provide authentication and data integrity by verifying the identity of the sender.
Question 49
Which of the following best describes the purpose of digital signatures in cryptography?
a) To encrypt data for secure transmission b) To verify the authenticity and integrity of a message c) To hash data for verification d) To exchange encryption keys securely
Correct Answer: b) To verify the authenticity and integrity of a message
Explanation: Digital signatures are used to verify the authenticity and integrity of a message, ensuring that it was sent by the claimed sender and has not been tampered with.
Question 50
Which cryptographic algorithm is based on the difficulty of solving discrete logarithms?
a) RSA b) AES c) ECC d) DES
Correct Answer: c) ECC
Explanation: Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is based on the mathematical difficulty of solving discrete logarithms, making it secure for encryption and key exchange.