GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

What does encryption provide?

1. Authentication

2. Integrity

3. Non-repudiation

4. All of the above

The correct answer is: All of the above

Encryption serves multiple purposes in the realm of cybersecurity, and it is instrumental in providing authentication, integrity, and non-repudiation. When data is encrypted, it transforms the original information into a secure format. This transformation allows for verification of the sender's identity, hence providing authentication. Only those with the correct decryption key can prove their identity and access the original data. Integrity refers to the assurance that the data has not been altered in transit. Encryption often works alongside techniques such as hashing, which creates a unique fingerprint (or hash) of data. If the data is modified, the hash will not match, indicating that the integrity of the data has been compromised. Non-repudiation ensures that the sender cannot deny having sent the data, which is crucial for accountability. By using digital signatures alongside encryption, an entity can confirm that a specific individual or system sent a message, thereby preventing denial of the sending action. Thus, encryption indeed provides authentication, integrity, and non-repudiation. As a result, the option encompassing all these essential aspects is the correct choice.