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SSCP Practice Question: Which TWO of the following are required…
Which TWO of the following are required properties of a cryptographically secure hash function? (Select exactly 2.)
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between general hash function properties (like deterministic output) and the specific security properties required for cryptographic use, leading candidates to mistakenly select deterministic output as a required property when it is merely a basic characteristic of any hash function.
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
✓
Collision resistance
Collision resistance (B) is a required property because it ensures that it is computationally infeasible to find two distinct inputs that produce the same hash output. Without this property, an attacker could substitute a legitimate message with a fraudulent one that yields an identical hash, breaking the integrity guarantees of the hash function. This is a fundamental requirement for digital signatures and message authentication codes (MACs) in cryptographic protocols.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Deterministic output
Why it's wrong here
Determinism is a property but not a security requirement.
- ✓
Collision resistance
Why this is correct
It should be infeasible to find two different inputs with the same hash.
- ✗
High speed for large inputs
Why it's wrong here
Performance is a design goal but not a security property.
- ✗
Low output entropy
Why it's wrong here
High entropy is desired, not low.
- ✓
Preimage resistance
Why this is correct
Given a hash, it should be infeasible to find any input that produces it.
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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.