ECES-Certified-Encryption-Specialist Exam
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
.cer/.crt/.der - ✔✔x.509 Digital Certificates extensions - Typically binary encoded. (.cer
is Microsoft convention)
AES Phases - ✔✔1. SubBytes - non-linear substitution - uses Rijndael S-box
2. Shiftrows - transposition
3. MixColumns - mixing
4. AddRoundKey
IKE - ✔✔Internet Key Exchange - Used by IPSec for Key exchange.
EC Formula - ✔✔(y2 = x3 + Ax + B) - Developed by Victor Miller and Neil Koblitz in
1985
Rijndael Algorithm - ✔✔Symmetric Algorithm used for AES
3 Cryptanalysis Resources - ✔✔• Time (amount of time needed to perform the number
of calculations to crack encryption)
• Memory (the amount of storage required to perform the attack)
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,• Data (the amount of plaintext/ciphertext required for the attack)
Birthday Problem - ✔✔How likely would it be for any two people in a room of 23 to
share the same birthday?
22+21+20+19+18+17+16+15+14+13+12+11+10+9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1 = 253, the total
number of combinations with 23 people. This is approximately a 50% chance for a
match(square root of 365 is approximately 23). The probability reaches 100% at 367
people (since there's 366 days in leap years), but with just 70 people, you are at over a
99.9% chance for a match.
Block cipher - ✔✔Encryption function for fixed-size blocks of data (typically 64 or 128
bits) - If you want to encrypt something that isn't exactly one block long, you have to
use a block cipher mode. Slower than stream ciphers
• Larger block sizes increase security
• Larger key sizes increase security
• If the round is secure, then more rounds increase security
Blowfish - ✔✔Fastest Symmetric algorithm. Designed in 1993 by Bruce Schneier.
• Feistel cipher
• 16 rounds
• 64 bit blocks.
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,• Key size ranges from 32 to 448 bits.
• Designed as a replacement for DES.
Classes of Digital Certificates - ✔✔• Class 1 - general certificate meant for individuals,
usually used for digitally signing/securing e-mail.
• Class 2 - for organizations where you have to prove identities.
• Class 3 - for server and software signing identification.
• Class 4 - Online business transactions between companies.
• Class 5 - Private organizations or governmental agencies. Used between
governmental agencies.
Criteria for Quality of Random Number Generators - ✔✔Established by The German
Office for Information Security (BSI)
• K1: A sequence of random numbers with a low probability of containing identical
numbers.
• K2: A sequence of numbers which is indistinguishable from ""true random"" numbers
according to statistical tests.
• K3: It should be impossible for any attacker to calculate, or otherwise guess, from any
given subsequence, any previous or future values in the sequence.
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, • K4: It should be impossible for any attacker to calculate, or otherwise guess from the
inner state of the generator, any previous values in the sequence or any previous inner
generator states.
• To be suitable for cryptography, any PRNG should meet K3 or K4 standards.
DES - ✔✔Symmetric algorithm - Block Cipher - Based on Lucifer Algorithm
• One of the most widely deployed algorithms in the world, even though it is no longer
recommended or considered secure.
• Restricted key size of 56 bits and small block size of 64 bits (has a 64-bit plaintext,
which is split into two 32-bit halves L and R).
• Consists of 16 rounds numbered 1 through 16. Each round i uses a separate 48-bit
round key Ki. Each round key is formed by selecting 48 bits from the 56-bit key, and
this selection is different for each round key.
• The algorithm that derives these round keys from the main block cipher key is called
the key schedule.
Digital Certificate - DC - ✔✔Standard template is x.509 V3. It's been around since 1988
and it's the most commonly used format today. Used to identify the certificate holder
when conducting electronic transactions. When modified, they typically become
invalidated. The can expire as well or be revoked for a number of reasons (private key
compromised, etc). They are used for web servers, authentication of Cisco Secure
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Questions and Answers 100% Pass
.cer/.crt/.der - ✔✔x.509 Digital Certificates extensions - Typically binary encoded. (.cer
is Microsoft convention)
AES Phases - ✔✔1. SubBytes - non-linear substitution - uses Rijndael S-box
2. Shiftrows - transposition
3. MixColumns - mixing
4. AddRoundKey
IKE - ✔✔Internet Key Exchange - Used by IPSec for Key exchange.
EC Formula - ✔✔(y2 = x3 + Ax + B) - Developed by Victor Miller and Neil Koblitz in
1985
Rijndael Algorithm - ✔✔Symmetric Algorithm used for AES
3 Cryptanalysis Resources - ✔✔• Time (amount of time needed to perform the number
of calculations to crack encryption)
• Memory (the amount of storage required to perform the attack)
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,• Data (the amount of plaintext/ciphertext required for the attack)
Birthday Problem - ✔✔How likely would it be for any two people in a room of 23 to
share the same birthday?
22+21+20+19+18+17+16+15+14+13+12+11+10+9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1 = 253, the total
number of combinations with 23 people. This is approximately a 50% chance for a
match(square root of 365 is approximately 23). The probability reaches 100% at 367
people (since there's 366 days in leap years), but with just 70 people, you are at over a
99.9% chance for a match.
Block cipher - ✔✔Encryption function for fixed-size blocks of data (typically 64 or 128
bits) - If you want to encrypt something that isn't exactly one block long, you have to
use a block cipher mode. Slower than stream ciphers
• Larger block sizes increase security
• Larger key sizes increase security
• If the round is secure, then more rounds increase security
Blowfish - ✔✔Fastest Symmetric algorithm. Designed in 1993 by Bruce Schneier.
• Feistel cipher
• 16 rounds
• 64 bit blocks.
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,• Key size ranges from 32 to 448 bits.
• Designed as a replacement for DES.
Classes of Digital Certificates - ✔✔• Class 1 - general certificate meant for individuals,
usually used for digitally signing/securing e-mail.
• Class 2 - for organizations where you have to prove identities.
• Class 3 - for server and software signing identification.
• Class 4 - Online business transactions between companies.
• Class 5 - Private organizations or governmental agencies. Used between
governmental agencies.
Criteria for Quality of Random Number Generators - ✔✔Established by The German
Office for Information Security (BSI)
• K1: A sequence of random numbers with a low probability of containing identical
numbers.
• K2: A sequence of numbers which is indistinguishable from ""true random"" numbers
according to statistical tests.
• K3: It should be impossible for any attacker to calculate, or otherwise guess, from any
given subsequence, any previous or future values in the sequence.
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, • K4: It should be impossible for any attacker to calculate, or otherwise guess from the
inner state of the generator, any previous values in the sequence or any previous inner
generator states.
• To be suitable for cryptography, any PRNG should meet K3 or K4 standards.
DES - ✔✔Symmetric algorithm - Block Cipher - Based on Lucifer Algorithm
• One of the most widely deployed algorithms in the world, even though it is no longer
recommended or considered secure.
• Restricted key size of 56 bits and small block size of 64 bits (has a 64-bit plaintext,
which is split into two 32-bit halves L and R).
• Consists of 16 rounds numbered 1 through 16. Each round i uses a separate 48-bit
round key Ki. Each round key is formed by selecting 48 bits from the 56-bit key, and
this selection is different for each round key.
• The algorithm that derives these round keys from the main block cipher key is called
the key schedule.
Digital Certificate - DC - ✔✔Standard template is x.509 V3. It's been around since 1988
and it's the most commonly used format today. Used to identify the certificate holder
when conducting electronic transactions. When modified, they typically become
invalidated. The can expire as well or be revoked for a number of reasons (private key
compromised, etc). They are used for web servers, authentication of Cisco Secure
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
