This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security architecture and engineering. 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.
A company deploys a web application that uses TLS to protect data in transit. The security team discovers that the server supports TLS 1.0 and uses a 1024-bit RSA certificate. What is the most significant security concern?
The certificate uses RSA 1024-bit key
Why wrong: While 1024-bit RSA is weak, TLS 1.0 vulnerability is more immediate.
The server supports TLS 1.0
TLS 1.0 is deprecated and has known vulnerabilities.
The server does not support HTTP/2
Why wrong: HTTP/2 is optional and not a security requirement.
The server enables TLS session tickets
Why wrong: Session tickets are a standard feature, not inherently vulnerable.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The server supports TLS 1.0
TLS 1.0 is a deprecated protocol with known vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to BEAST and POODLE attacks, which can allow an attacker to decrypt intercepted traffic. While a 1024-bit RSA key is weak, the most immediate and significant risk is the use of an outdated protocol that is actively exploited in the field. Disabling TLS 1.0 and enforcing TLS 1.2 or higher is the critical first step to secure data in transit.
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.
The certificate uses RSA 1024-bit key
Why it's wrong here
While 1024-bit RSA is weak, TLS 1.0 vulnerability is more immediate.
The server supports TLS 1.0
Why this is correct
TLS 1.0 is deprecated and has known vulnerabilities.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The server does not support HTTP/2
Why it's wrong here
HTTP/2 is optional and not a security requirement.
The server enables TLS session tickets
Why it's wrong here
Session tickets are a standard feature, not inherently vulnerable.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often focus on the weak key length (1024-bit RSA) as the most significant issue, but CISSP emphasizes that using a deprecated protocol (TLS 1.0) with known active exploits is a more urgent and severe security concern than a key that may take significant resources to break.
Detailed technical explanation
TLS 1.0 uses CBC-mode ciphers that are vulnerable to the BEAST attack (CVE-2011-3389), where an attacker can predict the IV and decrypt ciphertext block by block. Additionally, TLS 1.0 does not support modern cipher suites like AEAD (e.g., AES-GCM) and lacks secure renegotiation indicators, making it a prime target for downgrade attacks. In a real-world scenario, an attacker on the same network can use tools like `sslstrip` or `mitmproxy` to force a downgrade to TLS 1.0 and then exploit these weaknesses.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Security Architecture and Engineering — This question tests Security Architecture and Engineering — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The server supports TLS 1.0 — TLS 1.0 is a deprecated protocol with known vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to BEAST and POODLE attacks, which can allow an attacker to decrypt intercepted traffic. While a 1024-bit RSA key is weak, the most immediate and significant risk is the use of an outdated protocol that is actively exploited in the field. Disabling TLS 1.0 and enforcing TLS 1.2 or higher is the critical first step to secure data in transit.
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 11, 2026
This CISSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CISSP exam.
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