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Fundamentals of Cryptography

Cryptography

A collection of factual questions covering the history, algorithms, and protocols of cryptography.

security math history technology

12 Questions Medium Ages 12+ Oct 21, 2026

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About this Study Set

This study set covers Cryptography through 12 practice questions. A collection of factual questions covering the history, algorithms, and protocols of cryptography. Every question includes the correct answer so you can learn as you go — pick any format above to get started.

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1 Which ancient cipher involves replacing each letter in a plaintext with a letter a fixed number of positions down the alphabet?

A Vigenère cipher
B Caesar cipher
C Playfair cipher
D Rail fence cipher

2 What is the primary function of a cryptographic hash function?

A To encrypt sensitive data
B To compress data for storage
C To map data of arbitrary size to a fixed-size bit string
D To provide non-repudiation for financial transactions

3 In RSA cryptography, what type of keys are used to encrypt and decrypt messages?

A A single shared symmetric key
B A public key and a private key
C Two identical private keys
D A rotating password key

4 Which of the following is a symmetric-key block cipher standardized by the U.S. government in 2001?

A AES
B DES
C RSA
D ECC

5 What does the acronym 'PGP' stand for in the context of email encryption?

A Private Group Protocol
B Public Gateway Protection
C Pretty Good Privacy
D Personal General Password

6 Which mathematical problem forms the basis of the security of the RSA algorithm?

A Discrete logarithm problem
B Integer factorization
C Elliptic curve point multiplication
D Shortest vector problem

7 What is the core purpose of a Digital Signature?

A To hide the content of a message from unauthorized users
B To verify the authenticity and integrity of a digital document
C To replace traditional passwords for login systems
D To compress files to save bandwidth

8 Which cryptographic protocol is the successor to SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) for securing internet communications?

A TLS
B HTTP
C FTP
D SMTP

9 In cryptography, what is 'salt' used for?

A To randomize hash outputs to protect against rainbow table attacks
B To encrypt the metadata of a file
C To speed up the decryption process
D To ensure the message length remains constant

10 What term describes the process of converting ciphertext back into plaintext?

A Encoding
B Decoding
C Decryption
D Hashing

11 Which of these is considered a 'stream cipher'?

A AES
B RC4
C DES
D Blowfish

12 What is the main advantage of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) compared to RSA?

A It is easier to implement
B It requires smaller key sizes for equivalent security
C It does not require public keys
D It is immune to quantum computing

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