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SSCP Practice Question: A PKI administrator is designing a key management…
A PKI administrator is designing a key management lifecycle for a high-security environment. Which practice is most critical for ensuring long-term security of asymmetric keys?
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
✓
Performing regular key rotation
Regular key rotation limits exposure in case of compromise. All other options are important but rotation is most critical for long-term security.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Performing regular key rotation
Why this is correct
Regular rotation minimizes impact of key compromise.
- ✗
Using hardware security modules (HSMs)
Why it's wrong here
HSMs protect keys but don't address key aging.
- ✗
Implementing key escrow
Why it's wrong here
Key escrow is for recovery, not security.
- ✗
Maintaining a Certificate Revocation List (CRL)
Why it's wrong here
CRLs manage certificate status, not key lifecycle.
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 |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.