SSCP Cryptography Practice Question
Which of the following is a secure hash algorithm currently recommended by NIST?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 SSCP exams often test the distinction between hash algorithms and encryption ciphers, so candidates may mistakenly select RC4 because it is a well-known cryptographic algorithm, but it is not a hash function at all.
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-256
SHA-256 is a member of the SHA-2 family of secure hash algorithms and is currently recommended by NIST for cryptographic use. It produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value and is widely deployed in protocols such as TLS, SSH, and IPsec, as well as in digital signatures and certificate validation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
SHA-1
Why it's wrong here
SHA-1 produces a 160-bit digest and is collision-broken; NIST deprecated it for digital signatures and disallows it for generating new hashes. It is tempting because SHA-1 remains widely seen in legacy certificates and Git object IDs, so it looks familiar, but SHA-2 and SHA-3 are the currently recommended families.
- ✗
RC4
Why it's wrong here
RC4 is a stream cipher, not a hash algorithm, so it lacks the collision resistance and one-way property required for secure hashing; NIST explicitly deprecates it for cryptographic use. It tempts examinees because it was historically used for encryption in protocols like WEP and TLS, where a symmetric cipher is the correct choice, but the question demands a hash algorithm, not encryption.
- ✗
MD5
Why it's wrong here
MD5 outputs a 128-bit digest and is cryptographically broken, with practical collision attacks demonstrated; NIST does not recommend it for secure hashing. It is tempting because MD5 is fast and ubiquitous in file checksums and legacy password stores, where integrity against accidental corruption, not adversaries, is the goal.
- ✓
SHA-256
Why this is correct
SHA-256 belongs to the SHA-2 family, which NIST specifies in FIPS 180-4 for cryptographic hashing. It resists the collision attacks that broke SHA-1 and MD5, satisfying the stem's requirement for a currently recommended secure hash algorithm.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
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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.