CompTIA CySA+ Practice Questions: Cryptography

10 free, exam-style CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-003) practice questions covering Cryptography. Each question shows the correct answer and a clear explanation. Ready for the real thing? Take the full timed quiz below.

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Q1. Which of the following is a symmetric encryption algorithm? (Q-924456)

Explanation: AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a symmetric algorithm using the same key for encryption/decryption. Learn more.

Q2. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a digital certificate? (Q-628004)

Explanation: Digital certificates bind public keys to identities (e.g., websites). Learn more.

Q3. What is the MAIN purpose of a certificate authority (CA)? (Q-628011)

Explanation: CAs verify identities and issue trusted digital certificates. Learn more.

Q4. What is the PRIMARY benefit of using SHA-256 over MD5? (Q-628012)

Explanation: SHA-256 is cryptographically stronger and less prone to collisions than MD5. Learn more.

Q5. What is the MAIN risk of using deprecated cryptographic algorithms? (Q-628014)

Explanation: Deprecated algorithms (e.g., SHA-1, DES) have known security flaws. Learn more.

Q6. What does the 'I' in 'PKI' stand for? (Q-628015)

Explanation: PKI = Public Key Infrastructure. Learn more.

Q7. Which of the following is a hardware security module (HSM) used for? (Q-924480)

Explanation: HSMs provide secure key generation, storage, and management. Learn more.

Q8. What is the PRIMARY security benefit of using TPM 2.0? (Q-628051)

Explanation: Trusted Platform Modules securely store cryptographic keys in hardware. Learn more.

Q9. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a non-repudiation control? (Q-628053)

Explanation: Non-repudiation (via digital signatures/logs) provides proof of actions. Learn more.

Q10. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a hardware security module (HSM)? (Q-628056)

Explanation: HSMs provide tamper-resistant key storage and operations. Learn more.

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