200-201 Security Concepts Practice Question
An organization needs to ensure that a document has not been altered and to verify the sender's identity. Which combination of cryptographic techniques should be used?
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 and hashing
Hashing ensures integrity (detects changes), and digital signatures (asymmetric) provide authentication and non-repudiation.
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 and hashing
Why this is correct
Hashing verifies integrity; the digital signature authenticates the sender.
- ✗
Digital signature and symmetric encryption
Why it's wrong here
Missing hashing for integrity; symmetric encryption adds confidentiality but not integrity.
- ✗
Symmetric encryption and hashing
Why it's wrong here
Symmetric encryption provides confidentiality, not authentication.
- ✗
Asymmetric encryption and hashing
Why it's wrong here
Asymmetric encryption alone doesn't provide integrity; digital signatures use asymmetric keys to sign a hash.
Quick reference
Asymmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Exchange | Signatures | Equivalent Security Key | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSA-3072 | Yes | Yes | 128-bit | Widely deployed; slow for bulk data |
| ECDSA P-256 | No | Yes | 128-bit | Fast signatures; standard TLS certs |
| ECDH / ECDHE | Yes | No | 128-bit | Perfect forward secrecy in TLS 1.3 |
| DH / DHE | Yes | No | 128-bit (3072-bit key) | Replaced by ECDHE in modern TLS |
| Ed25519 | No | Yes | ~128-bit | SSH keys, modern PKI |
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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.