🔁 AP CSP Unit 11 Encryption Assessment REDO

Can you provide examples of historical encryption methods and their significance in the evolution of cryptography?

• Historical encryption methods, such as the Caesar cipher and the Enigma machine, played crucial roles in shaping the field of cryptography.
• Certificate authorities (CAs) issue digital certificates, acting as trusted third parties to verify the identities of individuals or entities.
• Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a pair of public and private keys.
• Digital certificates enhance security by providing a way to verify the authenticity of parties involved in a communication, ensuring trust.

Can you describe a real-world application where symmetric encryption is commonly used to protect data?

• Symmetric encryption is commonly used in securing data at rest, such as encrypting files or hard drives.
• Hashing is a one-way function that transforms data into a fixed-length string of characters. Unlike encryption, hashing is not intended for data retrieval and is irreversible, making it suitable for data verification and integrity checks.
• AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and DES (Data Encryption Standard) are block ciphers used to encrypt data. AES is widely used for its security and efficiency.
• Certificate authorities (CAs) issue digital certificates, acting as trusted third parties to verify the identities of individuals or entities.

Imagine a scenario where a company needs to protect its sensitive data during transmission. What are the key advantages and disadvantages of using symmetric encryption algorithms in this context?

• The advantages of symmetric encryption include speed and efficiency, but its main disadvantage is the challenge of securely sharing the key.

• Cryptographic hash functions are used to securely store passwords by hashing them before storage. Best practices involve using slow, salted hashes to protect against rainbow table attacks and dictionary attacks.

• Hashing is a one-way function that transforms data into a fixed-length string of characters. Unlike encryption, hashing is not intended for data retrieval and is irreversible, making it suitable for data verification and integrity checks.

• AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and DES (Data Encryption Standard) are block ciphers used to encrypt data. AES is widely used for its security and efficiency.

Alice wants to send a confidential message to Bob. She is considering using encryption but is confused between symmetric and asymmetric encryption methods. Can you explain the fundamental differences between these two encryption methods to help her decide?

• Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a pair of public and private keys.

• Cryptographic hash functions are used to securely store passwords by hashing them before storage. Best practices involve using slow, salted hashes to protect against rainbow table attacks and dictionary attacks.

• Symmetric encryption is commonly used in securing data at rest, such as encrypting files or hard drives.

• Collision attacks occur when two different inputs produce the same hash value. This can compromise the security of a hashing algorithm. Mitigation techniques include using stronger algorithms and salting to reduce collision vulnerabilities.

Imagine a scenario where a company is choosing an encryption algorithm to protect its sensitive data. Why is the key length a crucial factor in their decision, and how does it impact the security of their data?

• The key length in encryption algorithms is critical because longer keys generally provide stronger security. Short keys are easier to break through brute force attacks.

• AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and DES (Data Encryption Standard) are block ciphers used to encrypt data. AES is widely used for its security and efficiency.

• Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a pair of public and private keys.

• The advantages of symmetric encryption include speed and efficiency, but its main disadvantage is the challenge of securely sharing the key.

What is an Encryption Key?

• A number or string of text used to encrypt or decrypt a message.
• WhatsApp messages, phone calls, voicemails, emails, credit card numbers, cryptocurrency etc...
• Information that is readable without performing any cryptographic operations.
• Data that has been encrypted.

What is Ciphertext?

• Data that has been encrypted.
• A substitution cipher that shifts characters a certain number of positions in the alphabet.
• A process that reverses encryption, taking a secret message and reproducing the original plain text.
• A number or string of text used to encrypt or decrypt a message.

Define Plaintext

• Information that is readable without performing any cryptographic operations.
• SHA256, MD4, MD5, DES, RSA, ECC
• Process of converting readable data into unreadable characters to prevent unauthorized access.
• A set of steps that can convert readable plaintext into unreadable ciphertext.

What is an Encryption Algorithm?

• A set of steps that can convert readable plaintext into unreadable ciphertext.
• Information that is readable without performing any cryptographic operations.
• A number or string of text used to encrypt or decrypt a message.
• WhatsApp messages, phone calls, voicemails, emails, credit card numbers, cryptocurrency etc...

Alice sends Bob a secret message that only Bob should be able to read. Bob uses a special process to read the message. What is this process called?

• A process that reverses encryption, taking a secret message and reproducing the original plain text.

• Process of converting readable data into unreadable characters to prevent unauthorized access.

• A substitution cipher that shifts characters a certain number of positions in the alphabet.

• Data that has been encrypted.