easyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
CISA Practice Question: Which THREE of the following are commonly used…
Which THREE of the following are commonly used data encryption standards? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse cryptographic hash functions (SHA-256, MD5) with encryption standards, leading candidates to select them as methods for protecting data confidentiality rather than integrity.
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
✓
3DES
3DES (Triple Data Encryption Standard) is a symmetric-key block cipher that applies the DES algorithm three times to each data block, effectively increasing the key length to 168 bits. It was widely adopted as a secure replacement for single DES, though it is now considered legacy due to performance and security limitations.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
3DES
Why this is correct
Triple DES, symmetric encryption.
- ✗
SHA-256
Why it's wrong here
SHA-256 is a secure hash algorithm, not encryption.
- ✓
RSA
Why this is correct
Rivest-Shamir-Adleman, asymmetric encryption.
- ✓
AES
Why this is correct
Advanced Encryption Standard, symmetric encryption.
- ✗
MD5
Why it's wrong here
MD5 is a hash function, not encryption.
Quick reference
Symmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Size | Block Size | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-128 | 128-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | NIST approved; WPA3, TLS |
| AES-256 | 256-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | Preferred for sensitive / govt data |
| 3DES | 112-bit effective | 64-bit | Deprecated (2023) | Replaced by AES |
| DES | 56-bit | 64-bit | Broken | Cracked in < 24 h; never deploy |
| ChaCha20 | 256-bit | Stream cipher | Current | TLS 1.3, WireGuard |
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 995 original CISA 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 CISA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA 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 CISA exam.