WGU D334 INTRO TO CRYPTOGRAPHY PRE-ASSESSMENT
BUNDLED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS PLUS
RATIONALE LATEST 2026-2027 UPDATE
50 QUESTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
# TOPIC
1 Analyze and differentiate symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic algorithms based on security
properties and use cases
2 Evaluate the security of cryptographic systems against common attacks such as MITM, replay, and
chosen-ciphertext
3 Apply cryptographic primitives to design secure protocols for authentication, confidentiality, and integrity
4 WGU D334 Intro to Cryptography Pre
5 Assessment Bundled Questions and Correct Answers Plus Rationale Latest 2026
6 2027 Update
7 Foundations of Cryptography (WGU D334)
8 Applied Cryptography (WGU D334)
9 Advanced Cryptography (WGU D334)
10 Cryptography (WGU D334) Review
ABSTRACT
This study document brings together 50 carefully worded exam questions drawn from WGU D334
Intro to Cryptography Pre-Assessment Bundled Questions and Correct Answers Plus Rationale
Latest 2026-2027 Update, with the strongest emphasis placed on Analyze and differentiate
symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic algorithms based on security properties and use cases,
Evaluate the security of cryptographic systems against common attacks such as MITM, replay, and
chosen-ciphertext, Apply cryptographic primitives to design secure protocols for authentication,
confidentiality and and integrity. Every item follows the wording style and level of reasoning you
meet in the real paper, and each one is paired with a clear rationale so the correct choice is never
a guess. Work through the set at your own pace, mark the questions that slow you down, then
come back to them until the reasoning feels automatic. Learners who revise this way walk into the
exam room recognising the pattern behind the questions instead of meeting them for the first time.
Keep going - steady, honest practice is what turns a difficult paper into a comfortable pass.
Page 1
,Q1 ANALYZE AND DIFFERENTIATE SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC
ALGORITHMS BASED ON SECURITY PROPERTIES AND USE CASES
Which mode of operation for block ciphers provides both confidentiality and
authenticity without requiring a separate MAC, and is standardized by NIST?
A. CBC
B. CTR
C. GCM CORRECT
D. ECB
RATIONALE: GCM (Galois/Counter Mode) combines CTR encryption with GHASH for
authentication, providing AEAD. CBC and CTR provide only confidentiality, while ECB lacks
diffusion and is insecure.
Q2 ANALYZE AND DIFFERENTIATE SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC
ALGORITHMS BASED ON SECURITY PROPERTIES AND USE CASES
In the RSA cryptosystem, if the modulus n = 3233 and the public exponent e = 17,
what is the private exponent d?
A. 2753 CORRECT
B. 413
C. 1547
D. 3121
RATIONALE: n = 3233 = 61 * 53, so (n) = 60 * 52 = 3120. d is the modular inverse of e = 17 mod
3120, which is 2753 since 17 * 2753 1 mod 3120.
Page 2
, Q3 ANALYZE AND DIFFERENTIATE SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC
ALGORITHMS BASED ON SECURITY PROPERTIES AND USE CASES
A TLS 1.3 handshake uses ephemeral Diffie-Hellman. Which security property
does this primarily ensure that static RSA key exchange lacks?
A. Perfect forward secrecy CORRECT
B. Non-repudiation
C. Data integrity
D. Certificate revocation
RATIONALE: Ephemeral DH generates a new key pair per session, so compromise of long-term
keys does not compromise past session keys (perfect forward secrecy). Static RSA key
exchange lacks this property.
Q4 ANALYZE AND DIFFERENTIATE SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC
ALGORITHMS BASED ON SECURITY PROPERTIES AND USE CASES
Which of the following best describes the security of a cryptographic hash
function against a second preimage attack?
A. Given H(x), find y x such that H(y) = H(x). CORRECT
B. Find any two distinct inputs x and y such that H(x) = H(y).
C. Given x, find H(x) efficiently.
D. Given H(x), recover x.
RATIONALE: Second preimage resistance means given x, it is infeasible to find y x with H(y) =
H(x). Option B describes collision resistance, C is preimage resistance, and D is not a standard
property.
Page 3
BUNDLED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS PLUS
RATIONALE LATEST 2026-2027 UPDATE
50 QUESTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
# TOPIC
1 Analyze and differentiate symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic algorithms based on security
properties and use cases
2 Evaluate the security of cryptographic systems against common attacks such as MITM, replay, and
chosen-ciphertext
3 Apply cryptographic primitives to design secure protocols for authentication, confidentiality, and integrity
4 WGU D334 Intro to Cryptography Pre
5 Assessment Bundled Questions and Correct Answers Plus Rationale Latest 2026
6 2027 Update
7 Foundations of Cryptography (WGU D334)
8 Applied Cryptography (WGU D334)
9 Advanced Cryptography (WGU D334)
10 Cryptography (WGU D334) Review
ABSTRACT
This study document brings together 50 carefully worded exam questions drawn from WGU D334
Intro to Cryptography Pre-Assessment Bundled Questions and Correct Answers Plus Rationale
Latest 2026-2027 Update, with the strongest emphasis placed on Analyze and differentiate
symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic algorithms based on security properties and use cases,
Evaluate the security of cryptographic systems against common attacks such as MITM, replay, and
chosen-ciphertext, Apply cryptographic primitives to design secure protocols for authentication,
confidentiality and and integrity. Every item follows the wording style and level of reasoning you
meet in the real paper, and each one is paired with a clear rationale so the correct choice is never
a guess. Work through the set at your own pace, mark the questions that slow you down, then
come back to them until the reasoning feels automatic. Learners who revise this way walk into the
exam room recognising the pattern behind the questions instead of meeting them for the first time.
Keep going - steady, honest practice is what turns a difficult paper into a comfortable pass.
Page 1
,Q1 ANALYZE AND DIFFERENTIATE SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC
ALGORITHMS BASED ON SECURITY PROPERTIES AND USE CASES
Which mode of operation for block ciphers provides both confidentiality and
authenticity without requiring a separate MAC, and is standardized by NIST?
A. CBC
B. CTR
C. GCM CORRECT
D. ECB
RATIONALE: GCM (Galois/Counter Mode) combines CTR encryption with GHASH for
authentication, providing AEAD. CBC and CTR provide only confidentiality, while ECB lacks
diffusion and is insecure.
Q2 ANALYZE AND DIFFERENTIATE SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC
ALGORITHMS BASED ON SECURITY PROPERTIES AND USE CASES
In the RSA cryptosystem, if the modulus n = 3233 and the public exponent e = 17,
what is the private exponent d?
A. 2753 CORRECT
B. 413
C. 1547
D. 3121
RATIONALE: n = 3233 = 61 * 53, so (n) = 60 * 52 = 3120. d is the modular inverse of e = 17 mod
3120, which is 2753 since 17 * 2753 1 mod 3120.
Page 2
, Q3 ANALYZE AND DIFFERENTIATE SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC
ALGORITHMS BASED ON SECURITY PROPERTIES AND USE CASES
A TLS 1.3 handshake uses ephemeral Diffie-Hellman. Which security property
does this primarily ensure that static RSA key exchange lacks?
A. Perfect forward secrecy CORRECT
B. Non-repudiation
C. Data integrity
D. Certificate revocation
RATIONALE: Ephemeral DH generates a new key pair per session, so compromise of long-term
keys does not compromise past session keys (perfect forward secrecy). Static RSA key
exchange lacks this property.
Q4 ANALYZE AND DIFFERENTIATE SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC CRYPTOGRAPHIC
ALGORITHMS BASED ON SECURITY PROPERTIES AND USE CASES
Which of the following best describes the security of a cryptographic hash
function against a second preimage attack?
A. Given H(x), find y x such that H(y) = H(x). CORRECT
B. Find any two distinct inputs x and y such that H(x) = H(y).
C. Given x, find H(x) efficiently.
D. Given H(x), recover x.
RATIONALE: Second preimage resistance means given x, it is infeasible to find y x with H(y) =
H(x). Option B describes collision resistance, C is preimage resistance, and D is not a standard
property.
Page 3
