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D 334 / D334 Objective Assessment (Latest Update 2026 / 2027) Introduction to Cryptography | Core Exam Topics Questions and Answers | 100% Correct | Grade A - WGU
Question:
IPSec (Internet Protocol Security)
Answer:
a flexible framework for VPNs, supports many encryption and hashing functions; has two main phases.
Question:
IPSec Tunnel Mode
Answer:
encrypts traffic from firewall to firewall, securing data over untrusted networks; allows inspection at endpoints.
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Question:
IPSec Transport Mode
Answer:
provides end-to-end encryption from one computer to another, even through firewalls; no intermediate scanning is possible.
Question:
IPSec Phase 1 (IKE - Internet Key Exchange)
Answer:
negotiates hash algorithm (SHA/MD5), Diffie-Hellman group (Group 1, 2, or 5), encryption method (DES, 3DES, AES), and authentication method (pre- shared key, RSA nonces, RSA signature).
Question:
IPSec Phase 2
Answer:
defines policies for the tunnel, including Security Association (SA) lifetime and use of AH/ESP.
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Question:
Tor (The Onion Router)
Answer:
uses subscriber computers ("onion routing") to route data packets in fixed- length cells, encrypting them at each relay node; uses stream ciphers (AES in CTR mode), public-key encryption (RSA or ECC for identity), ECC Diffie- Hellman for key negotiation (Curve25519), and hash functions (SHA-1 for integrity).
Question:
Key Escrow
Answer:
a copy of the encryption key is held by a third party (e.g., government agency) for emergency or law enforcement access; controversial.
Question:
NOBUS ("Nobody But Us") Backdoor
Answer:
a method where government agents can mathematically crack encryption, but no one else can.
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Question:
Exhaustive Search (Brute Force)
Answer:
trying every possible key.
Question:
Known Plaintext Attack
Answer:
intruder knows part of the ciphertext and its corresponding plaintext; used to decrypt the rest of the ciphertext.
Question:
Chosen Plaintext Attack
Answer:
intruder chooses plaintext to encrypt and analyzes the resulting ciphertext.
Question:
Ciphertext-Only Attack
Answer:
intruder only has the ciphertext.
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