- A
The recipient's private key
Why wrong: The recipient's private key is used for decrypting messages sent to the recipient.
- B
The signer's private key
Why wrong: The signer's private key is kept secret and used only for signing.
- C
The recipient's public key
Why wrong: The recipient's public key is used for encrypting messages to the recipient, not for verifying signatures.
- D
The signer's public key
The signer's public key is used to verify the signature by decrypting the hash.
Question 321 of 1,000
SSCP Cryptography Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of cryptography. 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 security analyst is reviewing a digital signature implementation. The signer uses their private key to encrypt the hash of a message. What does the recipient use to verify the signature?
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
✓
The signer's public key
Digital signatures use asymmetric cryptography where the signer encrypts the message hash with their private key. The recipient decrypts that encrypted hash using the signer's public key, then compares it to a locally computed hash of the received message. If they match, the signature is verified, proving both authenticity and integrity.
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.
- ✗
The recipient's private key
Why it's wrong here
The recipient's private key is used for decrypting messages sent to the recipient.
- ✗
The signer's private key
Why it's wrong here
The signer's private key is kept secret and used only for signing.
- ✗
The recipient's public key
Why it's wrong here
The recipient's public key is used for encrypting messages to the recipient, not for verifying signatures.
- ✓
The signer's public key
Why this is correct
The signer's public key is used to verify the signature by decrypting the hash.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that encryption and signing use the same key pair roles, leading candidates to confuse which key is used for verification versus decryption.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the signature verification process typically uses the RSA algorithm where the signer's private exponent d is applied to the hash, and the recipient applies the signer's public exponent e to recover the hash. In practice, standards like PKCS#1 v1.5 or PSS padding are used to prevent forgery attacks. Real-world protocols such as TLS 1.3 and S/MIME rely on this exact mechanism to authenticate messages and certificates.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Cryptography — This question tests Cryptography — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The signer's public key — Digital signatures use asymmetric cryptography where the signer encrypts the message hash with their private key. The recipient decrypts that encrypted hash using the signer's public key, then compares it to a locally computed hash of the received message. If they match, the signature is verified, proving both authenticity and integrity.
What should I do if I get this SSCP 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 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.
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