SSCP Network and Communications Security Practice Question
Which of the following is a characteristic of TLS 1.3 that improves security over previous versions?
⚠ Common exam trap
SSCP often tests whether candidates confuse 'reduced cipher suites' with 'removed CBC' — TLS 1.3 reduced suites by eliminating weak ones (CBC, RC4, static RSA), not by keeping them, and forward secrecy is the headline security gain.
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
✓
Mandatory forward secrecy
TLS 1.3 mandates forward secrecy by removing static RSA and static Diffie-Hellman key exchange, requiring ephemeral key exchange (ECDHE) for every session. This means a compromised long-term private key cannot decrypt previously recorded sessions, which is a major security improvement over TLS 1.2 where static RSA was optional but allowed. This is codified in RFC 8446.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Reduced cipher suite options including CBC mode
Why it's wrong here
CBC mode is not among TLS 1.3's permitted ciphers; the standard removed CBC entirely because of padding-oracle attacks such as Lucky13. It is tempting because CBC was a common TLS 1.2 option, but the correct answer is TLS 1.3's AEAD-only suites, which eliminate those padding vulnerabilities.
- ✗
Use of RC4 cipher
Why it's wrong here
RC4 is a broken stream cipher with documented biases, and TLS 1.3 prohibits it along with all non-AEAD ciphers. It is tempting because RC4 was historically valued for speed on constrained hardware, but the correct answer is TLS 1.3's mandatory AEAD cipher suites, which provide authenticated encryption.
- ✗
Support for static RSA key exchange
Why it's wrong here
Static RSA key exchange lacks forward secrecy, so a compromised long-term key exposes all recorded sessions; TLS 1.3 removed it entirely. It is tempting because static RSA was ubiquitous in TLS 1.2 deployments and appears to simplify handshakes, but the correct answer is TLS 1.3's ephemeral (EC)DHE-only key establishment.
- ✓
Mandatory forward secrecy
Why this is correct
TLS 1.3 mandates ephemeral key exchange for all cipher suites, so forward secrecy is compulsory rather than optional. This prevents an attacker who later obtains the server's long-term private key from decrypting previously captured session traffic.
Quick reference
Asymmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Exchange | Signatures | Equivalent Security Key | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSA-3072 | Yes | Yes | 128-bit | Widely deployed; slow for bulk data |
| ECDSA P-256 | No | Yes | 128-bit | Fast signatures; standard TLS certs |
| ECDH / ECDHE | Yes | No | 128-bit | Perfect forward secrecy in TLS 1.3 |
| DH / DHE | Yes | No | 128-bit (3072-bit key) | Replaced by ECDHE in modern TLS |
| Ed25519 | No | Yes | ~128-bit | SSH keys, modern PKI |
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every SSCP question from scratch — 971 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.