050-80-CASECURID01 · Question #16
An RSA SecurID tokencode is unique for each successful authentication because
The correct answer is A. a token periodically calculates a new code. See the full explanation below for the reasoning.
Question
An RSA SecurID tokencode is unique for each successful authentication because
Options
- Aa token periodically calculates a new code.
- Bthe user continuously changes their secret PIN.
- Cthe Node Secret is updated after each authentication.
- Dthe Authenticaiton Manager instance clock is set to Universal Coordinated Time.
How the community answered
(14 responses)- A79% (11)
- C14% (2)
- D7% (1)
Community Discussion
4
Dragan B.Jun 19, 2026The answer is A. The token device runs a time-synchronous algorithm that combines a seed record with the current time to produce a new tokencode on a fixed interval, typically every 60 seconds, so each code is only valid for that brief window and is never repeated.
Yusuf A.Jun 26, 2026The answer is A. My senior walked me through how the physical fob works and it basically runs a time-based algorithm internally, so every 60 seconds it spits out a brand new code derived from the current time and the seed programmed into the token at manufacture. D tripped me up at first because UTC sync genuinely matters for RSA SecurID, but that is just what keeps the Authentication Manager and the token in agreement, not the reason the code itself is unique. B is just wrong on the facts, the whole point of the PIN is that it stays the same and you combine it with the rotating tokencode to form your passcode. So A is the one, the token does the work by regenerating on its own schedule.
Anjali D.Jun 26, 2026Our group went back and forth on this one, but most of us landed on A pretty quickly once we thought about how SecurID tokens actually work. The token device uses a time-based algorithm that combines a secret seed value baked into the hardware with the current time, so it generates a fresh code every 60 seconds regardless of anything the user does. That means the uniqueness is entirely on the token side, not because the user is changing a PIN (B) or because some server-side secret gets rotated after every login (C). D is a red herring because UTC synchronization just keeps the token and the Authentication Manager in agreement on time, it is not what makes each code unique. I remember sitting in the exam and seeing this one, and my first instinct was to second-guess A and think maybe it was C since we had just drilled through the Node Secret stuff. Glad I stuck with A. Anyone in the group who pulled a different answer, chime in below so we can hash it out before the next session.
Yusuf A.Jun 28, 2026The seed plus time combo is exactly right, though it is worth adding that the 60-second window is why clock drift beyond that threshold breaks authentication even if the seed is perfectly intact.