- A
MD5 for authentication, no privacy
Why wrong: No privacy means encryption is not used.
- B
SHA for authentication, no privacy
Why wrong: Missing privacy (encryption) component.
- C
SHA for authentication, AES for privacy
SHA and AES are the strongest options available in SNMPv3.
- D
MD5 for authentication, DES for privacy
Why wrong: MD5 and DES are considered weak but still provide auth+privacy.
Question 111 of 1,000
CISSP Communication and Network Security Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of communication and network security. 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 network administrator is configuring SNMPv3 for monitoring network devices. The organization requires both authentication and encryption of SNMP traffic. Which combination of protocols should be used to meet this requirement?
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
✓
SHA for authentication, AES for privacy
SNMPv3 supports both authentication and encryption via separate User-based Security Model (USM) parameters. To meet the requirement for both, you must select an authentication protocol (e.g., SHA) and a privacy (encryption) protocol (e.g., AES). Option C correctly pairs SHA for authentication with AES for privacy, providing integrity verification and confidentiality of SNMP messages.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
MD5 for authentication, no privacy
Why it's wrong here
No privacy means encryption is not used.
- ✗
SHA for authentication, no privacy
Why it's wrong here
Missing privacy (encryption) component.
- ✓
SHA for authentication, AES for privacy
Why this is correct
SHA and AES are the strongest options available in SNMPv3.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
MD5 for authentication, DES for privacy
Why it's wrong here
MD5 and DES are considered weak but still provide auth+privacy.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think DES is acceptable because it provides encryption, but CISSP emphasizes that DES is cryptographically weak and not considered secure for modern use, making AES the correct privacy choice.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SNMPv3 USM defines separate authentication and privacy protocols; authentication uses HMAC-MD5-96 or HMAC-SHA-96 (keyed hashes), while privacy uses CBC-DES or CFB-AES (RFC 3826 for AES). In practice, many organizations require AES-128 or higher for compliance (e.g., FIPS 140-2), and DES is explicitly disallowed in secure environments due to its vulnerability to brute-force attacks. The configuration is set via the 'priv' keyword in SNMPv3 views (e.g., 'snmp-server user user1 group1 v3 auth sha myauth priv aes 128 mypriv').
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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.
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 |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISSP question test?
Communication and Network Security — This question tests Communication and Network Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: SHA for authentication, AES for privacy — SNMPv3 supports both authentication and encryption via separate User-based Security Model (USM) parameters. To meet the requirement for both, you must select an authentication protocol (e.g., SHA) and a privacy (encryption) protocol (e.g., AES). Option C correctly pairs SHA for authentication with AES for privacy, providing integrity verification and confidentiality of SNMP messages.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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