Question 103 of 1,013
SY0-701 General Security Concepts Practice Question
A software vendor distributes critical security updates for its application through a public download website. The vendor wants to allow customers to verify that each update originated from the vendor and has not been modified in transit. Which of the following cryptographic techniques should the vendor apply to the update files before posting them for download?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse a cryptographic hash (which only ensures integrity) with a digital signature (which ensures both integrity and non-repudiation/authentication), or they mistakenly think TLS certificates alone can verify the file's origin after download.
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 authentication (proving the update originated from the vendor) and integrity (detecting any modification in transit). The vendor signs the file with their private key, and customers verify the signature using the vendor's public key, ensuring the file has not been altered since signing.
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
A digital signature is created with the vendor's private key and verified using the vendor's public key, ensuring the update originated from the claimed source (authentication) and was not altered after signing (integrity). Because private keys are kept secret and the public key is bound to the vendor via a trusted certificate authority, this provides strong, cryptographically verifiable proof of authenticity that persists beyond the download.
- ✗
Cryptographic hash
Why it's wrong here
A cryptographic hash (e.g., SHA-256) produces a fixed-size digest that changes if the file content changes, detecting accidental corruption or tampering. However, it does not authenticate the source; an attacker can replace both the executable and its published hash, or intercept the download and provide a new hash, making it insufficient alone to prove the file is genuinely from the vendor.
When this WOULD be correct
A cryptographic hash would be correct if the question asked: 'Which technique ensures that a file has not been altered during download, assuming the hash is obtained from a trusted source?'
- ✗
Antivirus scan report
Why it's wrong here
An antivirus scan report only indicates whether the file matches known malware signatures or suspicious behavioral patterns. It does not verify the file's origin, prove who created it, or detect tampering that introduces non-malicious modifications, so it provides no authentication or integrity assurance against a deliberate attacker.
- ✗
TLS certificate
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. TLS protects data in transit between the website and the downloader, but it does not provide a persistent, verifiable property for the file itself after download. A TLS certificate authenticates the server, not the individual file.
When this WOULD be correct
A TLS certificate would be correct if the question asked: 'Which technique ensures that the download connection between the vendor's website and the customer is encrypted and authenticated?' or 'Which technology prevents man-in-the-middle attacks during the download process?'
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The SY0-701 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Digital signatureCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
A digital signature is created with the vendor's private key and verified using the vendor's public key, ensuring the update originated from the claimed source (authentication) and was not altered after signing (integrity). Because private keys are kept secret and the public key is bound to the vendor via a trusted certificate authority, this provides strong, cryptographically verifiable proof of authenticity that persists beyond the download.
✗Cryptographic hashWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A cryptographic hash alone provides integrity (detects modification) but does not provide authentication (prove origin). The vendor needs to prove the update originated from them, which requires a digital signature using their private key.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A cryptographic hash would be correct if the question asked: 'Which technique ensures that a file has not been altered during download, assuming the hash is obtained from a trusted source?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often confuse integrity (hash) with authenticity (signature), thinking that verifying a hash against a known value also proves the source, but it does not without a trusted channel for the hash.
✗TLS certificateWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A TLS certificate secures the communication channel (e.g., HTTPS) between the client and server, but it does not provide a mechanism for the client to verify the integrity and origin of the downloaded file itself after it has been received. The question asks for a technique applied to the update files, not to the transmission.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A TLS certificate would be correct if the question asked: 'Which technique ensures that the download connection between the vendor's website and the customer is encrypted and authenticated?' or 'Which technology prevents man-in-the-middle attacks during the download process?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse securing the download channel (TLS) with verifying the file's authenticity and integrity. They might think that because TLS provides encryption and server authentication, it also protects the file after download, which is incorrect.
Analysis generated from the official SY0-701blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SY0-701 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 SY0-701 exam.
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