200-201 Security Concepts Practice Question
A security analyst needs to ensure that a message has not been tampered with during transit and that the sender cannot deny sending it. Which cryptographic method should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between hashing (which provides integrity only) and digital signatures (which provide both integrity and non-repudiation), leading candidates to mistakenly choose hashing when non-repudiation is required.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Digital signature
A digital signature provides both integrity (ensuring the message has not been tampered with) and non-repudiation (preventing the sender from denying they sent it). It works by hashing the message and encrypting that hash with the sender's private key; the recipient verifies the signature using the sender's public key. This cryptographic method uniquely binds the sender to the message, unlike other options that only address one of these requirements.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Digital signature
Why this is correct
Digital signatures ensure integrity and non-repudiation.
- ✗
Symmetric encryption
Why it's wrong here
Symmetric encryption provides confidentiality but not non-repudiation.
- ✗
Hashing
Why it's wrong here
Hashing provides integrity but not non-repudiation.
- ✗
Public key infrastructure (PKI)
Why it's wrong here
PKI is the framework that supports digital signatures, but the method itself is the digital signature.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.