D 334 Study Guide (Latest Update 2026 /
2027) Introduction to Cryptography Core
Exam Topics Questions and Answers 100%
Correct {Grade A} - WGU
Entropy - correct answer measures level of unpredictability
Hardware Security Module (HSM) - correct answer a tamper-evident and intrusion-
resistant physical device that safeguards and manages cryptographic keys and
provides cryptographic processing
Trusted platform module (TPM) - correct answer A dedicated processor that handles
hardware-level encryption; allows you to encrypt data on your device
Pigpen - correct answer mono-alphabetic substitution cipher that makes use of
mapping plaintext characters to graphical characters rather than to alphabetic ones.
Rail code - correct answer Employs a method to scramble text by writing it in a
sequence across a number of rails.
BIFID - correct answer Makes use of a grid and which maps the letters into numeric
values.
,D 334 Study Guide (Latest Update 2026 /
2027) Introduction to Cryptography Core
Exam Topics Questions and Answers 100%
Correct {Grade A} - WGU
Playfair - correct answer 5 × 5 matrix containing the alphabet less the letter J.
Cipher/decipher process consists of a set of rules outlining use of column and row
combinations.
Morse Code - correct answer Encoding method, rather than a cipher, that works by
translating characters into sequences of dots (.) and dashes (-)
Caeser Cipher - correct answer a technique for encryption that shifts the alphabet by
some number of characters
Vigenere Cipher - correct answer An encryption algorithm which works by applying a
key word to a plaintext. The key word is aligned with the plaintext and each letter of
the keyword determines by how many places the plaintext should be rotated. For
example "D" signals a rotation of 3. In short is uses multiple Ceasar Ciphers to
encrypt a single plaintext making it more secure.
Four square cipher - correct answer Uses four 5 × 5 matrices arranged in a square, are
where each matrix contains 25 letters for encoding and decoding operations.
enigma machine - correct answer An example of a one time pad encryption device.
, D 334 Study Guide (Latest Update 2026 /
2027) Introduction to Cryptography Core
Exam Topics Questions and Answers 100%
Correct {Grade A} - WGU
Binary Math "AND" - correct answer both the first and second numbers you are
ANDing must be 1 for the answer to be 1, anything else 0
Binary Math "OR" - correct answer if any or both of the numbers you are ORing are 1,
then the answer is 1, anything else 0
Binary Math "XOR" - correct answer one but not both of the numbers you are XORing
must be 1 for your answer to be 1. Anything else is 0
Modulus operator math - correct answer Simply divide the first number by the
second and return the remainder. Annotated using the (mod) or (%). Example: 5 mod
2 = 1 [2 goes into 5 a max of twice (4), 5-4 = the remainder which is 1]
Combination vs. Permutation - correct answer combination: order doesn't matter
permutation: order matters
Secret Key encryption - correct answer Uses a single key that is shared by both the
sender and the receiver
2027) Introduction to Cryptography Core
Exam Topics Questions and Answers 100%
Correct {Grade A} - WGU
Entropy - correct answer measures level of unpredictability
Hardware Security Module (HSM) - correct answer a tamper-evident and intrusion-
resistant physical device that safeguards and manages cryptographic keys and
provides cryptographic processing
Trusted platform module (TPM) - correct answer A dedicated processor that handles
hardware-level encryption; allows you to encrypt data on your device
Pigpen - correct answer mono-alphabetic substitution cipher that makes use of
mapping plaintext characters to graphical characters rather than to alphabetic ones.
Rail code - correct answer Employs a method to scramble text by writing it in a
sequence across a number of rails.
BIFID - correct answer Makes use of a grid and which maps the letters into numeric
values.
,D 334 Study Guide (Latest Update 2026 /
2027) Introduction to Cryptography Core
Exam Topics Questions and Answers 100%
Correct {Grade A} - WGU
Playfair - correct answer 5 × 5 matrix containing the alphabet less the letter J.
Cipher/decipher process consists of a set of rules outlining use of column and row
combinations.
Morse Code - correct answer Encoding method, rather than a cipher, that works by
translating characters into sequences of dots (.) and dashes (-)
Caeser Cipher - correct answer a technique for encryption that shifts the alphabet by
some number of characters
Vigenere Cipher - correct answer An encryption algorithm which works by applying a
key word to a plaintext. The key word is aligned with the plaintext and each letter of
the keyword determines by how many places the plaintext should be rotated. For
example "D" signals a rotation of 3. In short is uses multiple Ceasar Ciphers to
encrypt a single plaintext making it more secure.
Four square cipher - correct answer Uses four 5 × 5 matrices arranged in a square, are
where each matrix contains 25 letters for encoding and decoding operations.
enigma machine - correct answer An example of a one time pad encryption device.
, D 334 Study Guide (Latest Update 2026 /
2027) Introduction to Cryptography Core
Exam Topics Questions and Answers 100%
Correct {Grade A} - WGU
Binary Math "AND" - correct answer both the first and second numbers you are
ANDing must be 1 for the answer to be 1, anything else 0
Binary Math "OR" - correct answer if any or both of the numbers you are ORing are 1,
then the answer is 1, anything else 0
Binary Math "XOR" - correct answer one but not both of the numbers you are XORing
must be 1 for your answer to be 1. Anything else is 0
Modulus operator math - correct answer Simply divide the first number by the
second and return the remainder. Annotated using the (mod) or (%). Example: 5 mod
2 = 1 [2 goes into 5 a max of twice (4), 5-4 = the remainder which is 1]
Combination vs. Permutation - correct answer combination: order doesn't matter
permutation: order matters
Secret Key encryption - correct answer Uses a single key that is shared by both the
sender and the receiver
