Which of the following statements pertaining to block ciphers is incorrect?
Correct Answer: C
Block ciphers do not use public cryptography (private and public keys). Block ciphers is a type of symmetric-key encryption algorithm that transforms a fixed-size block of plaintext (unencrypted text) data into a block of ciphertext (encrypted text) data of the same length. They are appropriate for software implementations and can operate internally as a stream. See more info below about DES in Output Feedback Mode (OFB), which makes use internally of a stream cipher. The output feedback (OFB) mode makes a block cipher into a synchronous stream cipher. It generates keystream blocks, which are then XORed with the plaintext blocks to get the ciphertext. Just as with other stream ciphers, flipping a bit in the ciphertext produces a flipped bit in the plaintext at the same location. This property allows many error correcting codes to function normally even when applied before encryption. Reference(s) used for this question: Wikipedia on Block Cipher mode at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_cipher_mode_of_operation and http://www.itl.nist.gov/fipspubs/fip81.htm
SSCP Exam Question 247
What is the main problem of the renewal of a root CA certificate?
Correct Answer: B
Explanation/Reference: The main task here is the authentic distribution of the new root CA certificate as new trust anchor to all the PKI participants (e.g. the users). In some of the rollover-scenarios there is no automatic way, often explicit assignment of trust from each user is needed, which could be very costly. Other methods make use of the old root CA certificate for automatic trust establishment (see PKIX- reference), but these solutions works only well for scenarios with currently valid root CA certificates (and not for emergency cases e.g. compromise of the current root CA certificate). The rollover of the root CA certificate is a specific and delicate problem and therefore are often ignored during PKI deployment. Reference: Camphausen, I.; Petersen, H.; Stark, C.: Konzepte zum Root CA Zertifikatswechsel, conference Enterprise Security 2002, March 26-27, 2002, Paderborn; RFC 2459 : Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure Certificate and CRL Profile.
SSCP Exam Question 248
Access control is the collection of mechanisms that permits managers of a system to exercise a directing or restraining influence over the behavior, use, and content of a system. It does not permit management to:
Correct Answer: C
Section: Access Control Explanation/Reference: Access control is the collection of mechanisms that permits managers of a system to exercise a directing or restraining influence over the behavior, use, and content of a system. It permits management to specify what users can do, which resources they can access, and what operations they can perform on a system. Specifying HOW to restrain hackers is not directly linked to access control. Source: DUPUIS, Clement, Access Control Systems and Methodology, Version 1, May 2002, CISSP Open Study Group Study Guide for Domain 1, Page 12.
SSCP Exam Question 249
Which of the following was designed to support multiple network types over the same serial link?
Correct Answer: C
Explanation/Reference: The Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) was designed to support multiple network types over the same serial link, just as Ethernet supports multiple network types over the same LAN. PPP replaces the earlier Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) that only supports IP over a serial link. PPTP is a tunneling protocol. Source: STREBE, Matthew and PERKINS, Charles, Firewalls 24seven, Sybex 2000, Chapter 3: TCP/IP from a Security Viewpoint.
SSCP Exam Question 250
Which of the following forms of authentication would most likely apply a digital signature algorithm to every bit of data that is sent from the claimant to the verifier?
Correct Answer: B
Continuous authentication is a type of authentication that provides protection against impostors who can see, alter, and insert information passed between the claimant and verifier even after the claimant/verifier authentication is complete. These are typically referred to as active attacks, since they assume that the imposter can actively influence the connection between claimant and verifier. One way to provide this form of authentication is to apply a digital signature algorithm to every bit of data that is sent from the claimant to the verifier. There are other combinations of cryptography that can provide this form of authentication but current strategies rely on applying some type of cryptography to every bit of data sent. Otherwise, any unprotected bit would be suspect. Robust authentication relies on dynamic authentication data that changes with each authenticated session between a claimant and a verifier, but does not provide protection against active attacks. Encrypted authentication is a distracter. Source: GUTTMAN, Barbara & BAGWILL, Robert, NIST Special Publication 800-xx, Internet Security Policy: A Technical Guide, Draft Version, May 25, 2000 (page 34).