WGU D334 INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTOGRAPHY EXAM REVIEW 2026/2027 |
MOST TESTED CONCEPTS | HIGH-YIELD PRACTICE QUESTIONS & CORRECT
ANSWERS | COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE | UPDATED VERSION
1. If a system uses a weak hashing algorithm, what implications does this have
for password security?
It increases the risk of successful password cracking.
It enhances the speed of password verification.
It makes passwords easier to remember for users.
It eliminates the need for password complexity requirements.
2. A secure key-exchange algorithm that is in common use is the ___ algorithm
Mason-Dixon
Reynolds-Washburn
RSA
Diffie-Hellman
3. What is the primary purpose of salting in cryptographic solutions?
To securely store a copy of cryptographic keys.
To verify the integrity and authenticity of a digital message or
document.
To replace sensitive data with non-sensitive placeholders.
To add randomness to a password before hashing it.
4. What are the two biggest advantages of using Hash-based message
authentication code (HMAC) to authenticate web service requests?
HMAC uses encryption and a certificate to verify authenticity.
, The keys don't have to match for authentication, and its encryption is
one-way.
HMAC verifies the integrity and the authenticity of a message.
HMAC's functionality isn't dependent on a key or a password.
5. What does the term 'work factor' refer to in cryptographic terms?
The time taken to encrypt and decrypt data.
The strength of the encryption key used in a cipher.
The amount of computational effort required to break a
cryptographic system.
The number of users in a cryptographic network.
6. What is the primary technique used to crack hashed passwords?
Phishing
Brute force attack
Social engineering
Keylogging
7. Which character encoding standard allows non-English characters and
special characters to be represented?
UTF-16
ASCII
EBCIDIC
Unicode
,8. What is a famous example of a World War II encryption machine that is
frequently mentioned related to cryptography?
German Riddle
Enigma
Beale Box
Vigenere
9. In natural languages, certain letters of the alphabet appear more frequently
than others. By examining those frequencies, you can derive some
information about the key that was used. This describes what cryptanalysis
technique?
Linear Cryptanalysis
Differential Cryptanalysis
Integral Cryptanalysis
Kasiski
Frequency Analysis
10. If a company implements HMAC for message authentication, what
advantage does it gain over using a standard hashing function alone?
Faster processing speeds for large data sets.
Increased security through the use of a secret key.
Simplified implementation without the need for keys.
Reduced storage requirements for hashed data.
11. How does a True Random Number Generator (TRNG) work?
C. It takes as input a source that is ineffectively random
, A. It takes as input an entropy source
D. It takes as input a digital source
B. It takes as input an analog source
12. Describe the basic mechanism of how the BIFID Cipher encrypts a message.
The BIFID Cipher encrypts a message using a single key for
symmetric encryption.
The BIFID Cipher encrypts a message by combining both
substitution and transposition techniques using a grid.
The BIFID Cipher encrypts a message solely through transposition of
letters.
The BIFID Cipher encrypts a message by replacing each letter with a
corresponding number.
13. Describe the role of a Hardware Security Module (HSM) in the context of
cryptographic systems.
An HSM is a type of software that generates encryption algorithms.
An HSM is primarily used for encrypting data in transit.
An HSM is used to create digital certificates for secure
communications.
An HSM is used to securely manage and store cryptographic keys,
ensuring their protection and facilitating secure cryptographic
operations.
14. What is the reason for HMAC to use an additional secret key as input to the
hash function?
to prevent DoS attack
MOST TESTED CONCEPTS | HIGH-YIELD PRACTICE QUESTIONS & CORRECT
ANSWERS | COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE | UPDATED VERSION
1. If a system uses a weak hashing algorithm, what implications does this have
for password security?
It increases the risk of successful password cracking.
It enhances the speed of password verification.
It makes passwords easier to remember for users.
It eliminates the need for password complexity requirements.
2. A secure key-exchange algorithm that is in common use is the ___ algorithm
Mason-Dixon
Reynolds-Washburn
RSA
Diffie-Hellman
3. What is the primary purpose of salting in cryptographic solutions?
To securely store a copy of cryptographic keys.
To verify the integrity and authenticity of a digital message or
document.
To replace sensitive data with non-sensitive placeholders.
To add randomness to a password before hashing it.
4. What are the two biggest advantages of using Hash-based message
authentication code (HMAC) to authenticate web service requests?
HMAC uses encryption and a certificate to verify authenticity.
, The keys don't have to match for authentication, and its encryption is
one-way.
HMAC verifies the integrity and the authenticity of a message.
HMAC's functionality isn't dependent on a key or a password.
5. What does the term 'work factor' refer to in cryptographic terms?
The time taken to encrypt and decrypt data.
The strength of the encryption key used in a cipher.
The amount of computational effort required to break a
cryptographic system.
The number of users in a cryptographic network.
6. What is the primary technique used to crack hashed passwords?
Phishing
Brute force attack
Social engineering
Keylogging
7. Which character encoding standard allows non-English characters and
special characters to be represented?
UTF-16
ASCII
EBCIDIC
Unicode
,8. What is a famous example of a World War II encryption machine that is
frequently mentioned related to cryptography?
German Riddle
Enigma
Beale Box
Vigenere
9. In natural languages, certain letters of the alphabet appear more frequently
than others. By examining those frequencies, you can derive some
information about the key that was used. This describes what cryptanalysis
technique?
Linear Cryptanalysis
Differential Cryptanalysis
Integral Cryptanalysis
Kasiski
Frequency Analysis
10. If a company implements HMAC for message authentication, what
advantage does it gain over using a standard hashing function alone?
Faster processing speeds for large data sets.
Increased security through the use of a secret key.
Simplified implementation without the need for keys.
Reduced storage requirements for hashed data.
11. How does a True Random Number Generator (TRNG) work?
C. It takes as input a source that is ineffectively random
, A. It takes as input an entropy source
D. It takes as input a digital source
B. It takes as input an analog source
12. Describe the basic mechanism of how the BIFID Cipher encrypts a message.
The BIFID Cipher encrypts a message using a single key for
symmetric encryption.
The BIFID Cipher encrypts a message by combining both
substitution and transposition techniques using a grid.
The BIFID Cipher encrypts a message solely through transposition of
letters.
The BIFID Cipher encrypts a message by replacing each letter with a
corresponding number.
13. Describe the role of a Hardware Security Module (HSM) in the context of
cryptographic systems.
An HSM is a type of software that generates encryption algorithms.
An HSM is primarily used for encrypting data in transit.
An HSM is used to create digital certificates for secure
communications.
An HSM is used to securely manage and store cryptographic keys,
ensuring their protection and facilitating secure cryptographic
operations.
14. What is the reason for HMAC to use an additional secret key as input to the
hash function?
to prevent DoS attack
