A security team is evaluating a new encryption algorithm for a product. The algorithm uses a 128-bit key and has no known vulnerabilities, but it has not been widely reviewed by the cryptographic community. What should the team do?

Reject the algorithm because it has not been widely reviewed

Use the algorithm but only for non-sensitive data

Combine the algorithm with a hash to improve security

Adopt the algorithm because the key length is sufficient

A company is moving its customer database to a cloud provider. The database will be accessed by applications over the internet. The security team must ensure that data is encrypted both at rest and in transit. Which combination of controls should they implement?

Enable database encryption at rest and use TLS for application connections

Use IPsec VPN for all connections and rely on the cloud provider's default encryption

Use client-side encryption for all data before storing it in the database

Use a VPN and client-side encryption

What is the primary purpose of a cryptographic hash function?

To encrypt data so that it can be decrypted later with the correct key.

To authenticate users by storing passwords in plaintext for quick comparison.

To compress data to a smaller size for storage or transmission.

To verify the integrity of data by producing a fixed-size digest that changes if the data changes.

A company's web server certificate is about to expire. The administrator needs to replace it without causing downtime for users. Which process should they follow?

Generate a new key pair, submit a CSR to the CA, install the new certificate, and test before the old one expires

Wait until the certificate expires and then install a new one

Reuse the existing private key and request a new certificate with the same key

Disable TLS until the new certificate is installed

CiscoCertified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity

Domain 1Objective 4

Explain Encryption Methods and Applications 100-160 Practice Questions (Page 4)

Part of the Essential Security Principles domain, which makes up ~18% of our current practice bank. Cisco does not publish an official question count, but from its 50-minute exam (~20–35 total, ~4–6 in this domain), expect 1–2 from this objective — we provide 39 practice questions to prepare you well beyond it. (estimate)

39questions here

8free pages

7concepts

Questions 16–20

16expert · hard
A security team is evaluating a new encryption algorithm for a product. The algorithm uses a 128-bit key and has no known vulnerabilities, but it has not been widely reviewed by the cryptographic community. What should the team do?
Select an answer first
17expert · hard
A company is moving its customer database to a cloud provider. The database will be accessed by applications over the internet. The security team must ensure that data is encrypted both at rest and in transit. Which combination of controls should they implement?
Select an answer first
18application · medium
A company is setting up a PKI to issue certificates to employees for email signing and encryption. They want to ensure that certificates are revoked promptly if an employee's private key is compromised. Which PKI component is responsible for maintaining the revocation list?
Select an answer first
19foundation · easy
What is the primary purpose of a cryptographic hash function?
Select an answer first
20expert · hard
A company's web server certificate is about to expire. The administrator needs to replace it without causing downtime for users. Which process should they follow?
Select an answer first

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