Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Entry-level Technician (PCCET)Cybersecurity FundamentalsEasy
A security architect is designing a system for secure online transactions. They need a cryptographic method that allows a client to encrypt data using a public key, and only the corresponding private key can decrypt it. This ensures that only the intended recipient can read the message. Which type of cryptography is best suited for this requirement?
- AHashing
- BSymmetric-key cryptography
- CSteganography
- DAsymmetric-key cryptography
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Asymmetric-key cryptography
Asymmetric-key cryptography, also known as public-key cryptography, uses a pair of keys (public and private) where one encrypts and the other decrypts, ensuring secure communication between parties without prior shared secrets.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Hashing creates a fixed-size string from input, used for integrity, not encryption/decryption.
- B. Symmetric-key cryptography uses the same key for both encryption and decryption, requiring a shared secret.
- C. Steganography is hiding data within other data, not an encryption method itself.
Asymmetric-key Cryptography
A cryptographic system that uses a pair of mathematically related keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption, or vice-versa, allowing secure communication without sharing a secret key.
- Uses distinct public and private keys.
- Public key can be shared, private key kept secret.
- Used for encryption, digital signatures, key exchange.
Memory trick: Asymmetric is like a lock with two different keys.