Quick Answer
The answer is brute-force attack, differential cryptanalysis, and linear cryptanalysis. These are three fundamental types of cryptanalytic attacks that target the mathematical structure of encryption algorithms. A brute-force attack systematically tries every possible key until the correct one is found, while differential cryptanalysis examines how differences in plaintext pairs propagate through ciphertext to recover the key, and linear cryptanalysis finds linear approximations of the cipher’s behavior to deduce key bits. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this question tests your understanding of attack methodologies against symmetric ciphers like DES and AES, often appearing in the cryptography domain. A common trap is confusing differential cryptanalysis with a simple chosen-plaintext attack—remember that differential focuses on statistical biases in differences, not just any chosen input. For memory, think “Brute, Diff, Linear” as the three core cryptanalytic pillars: brute for exhaustive search, differential for block cipher weaknesses, and linear for bit-level approximations.
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of cryptography and malware analysis. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which THREE of the following are types of cryptanalytic attacks? (Choose three.)
Differential cryptanalysis
Analyzes how differences in plaintext affect differences in ciphertext.
Rainbow table attack
Why wrong: Rainbow tables are used to reverse hash functions, not cryptanalysis of encryption.
Linear cryptanalysis
Finds linear approximations to the cipher's behavior.
Brute-force attack
Tries all possible keys to decrypt.
Replay attack
Why wrong: Replay attacks retransmit valid data, not a cryptanalytic technique.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Differential cryptanalysis
Differential cryptanalysis is a chosen-plaintext attack that analyzes how differences in plaintext pairs affect the resulting ciphertext differences, exploiting statistical biases to recover the encryption key. It is a fundamental cryptanalytic technique, particularly effective against block ciphers like DES.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Differential cryptanalysis
Why this is correct
Analyzes how differences in plaintext affect differences in ciphertext.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Rainbow table attack
Why it's wrong here
Rainbow tables are used to reverse hash functions, not cryptanalysis of encryption.
Linear cryptanalysis
Why this is correct
Finds linear approximations to the cipher's behavior.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Brute-force attack
Why this is correct
Tries all possible keys to decrypt.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Replay attack
Why it's wrong here
Replay attacks retransmit valid data, not a cryptanalytic technique.
Common exam traps
EC-Council often tests the distinction between cryptanalytic attacks (which target the cipher's mathematical structure) and other attack types like hash precomputation or protocol-level attacks, so candidates mistakenly classify rainbow table or replay attacks as cryptanalytic.
Detailed technical explanation
Differential cryptanalysis works by tracking the propagation of XOR differences through the cipher's rounds, using high-probability differential characteristics to reduce the key space. Linear cryptanalysis, another correct answer, uses linear approximations of the cipher's nonlinear components (S-boxes) to derive key bits. Both are statistical attacks that require many plaintext-ciphertext pairs, typically millions for modern ciphers like AES.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CEH exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Cryptography and Malware Analysis — This question tests Cryptography and Malware Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Differential cryptanalysis — Differential cryptanalysis is a chosen-plaintext attack that analyzes how differences in plaintext pairs affect the resulting ciphertext differences, exploiting statistical biases to recover the encryption key. It is a fundamental cryptanalytic technique, particularly effective against block ciphers like DES.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council 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 CEH exam.
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