200-201 Security Concepts Practice Question
An organization wants to ensure data integrity and non-repudiation for sensitive documents. Which THREE cryptographic mechanisms should be implemented? (Select three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between integrity-only mechanisms (hashing) and those that also provide non-repudiation (digital signatures), leading candidates to incorrectly select symmetric encryption or steganography when the question explicitly requires both integrity and non-repudiation.
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 signatures
Digital signatures provide both data integrity and non-repudiation by using the sender's private key to sign a hash of the document. The recipient verifies the signature with the sender's public key, ensuring the document has not been altered and that the sender cannot deny having signed it.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Steganography
Why it's wrong here
Steganography hides data, not for integrity or non-repudiation.
- ✓
Digital signatures
Why this is correct
Digital signatures authenticate the sender and provide non-repudiation.
- ✓
Hashing
Why this is correct
Hashing verifies that data has not been altered.
- ✓
Asymmetric encryption
Why this is correct
Asymmetric encryption (RSA/ECC) is used for digital signatures and key exchange.
- ✗
Symmetric encryption
Why it's wrong here
Symmetric encryption provides confidentiality, not non-repudiation.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 979 original 200-201 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.