112-51 · Question #46
In the context of cryptographic algorithms, which characteristics are crucial for a secure public key encryption scheme? (Select two)
The correct answer is A. Key distribution B. Key length. Key distribution (A) is fundamental to public key cryptography - the entire asymmetric paradigm was invented to solve the key distribution problem inherent in symmetric systems, allowing public keys to be shared openly while private keys remain secret. Key length (B) directly…
Question
In the context of cryptographic algorithms, which characteristics are crucial for a secure public key encryption scheme? (Select two)
Options
- AKey distribution
- BKey length
- CBlock size
- DCipher type
How the community answered
(28 responses)- A89% (25)
- C7% (2)
- D4% (1)
Explanation
Key distribution (A) is fundamental to public key cryptography - the entire asymmetric paradigm was invented to solve the key distribution problem inherent in symmetric systems, allowing public keys to be shared openly while private keys remain secret. Key length (B) directly governs cryptographic strength; for algorithms like RSA or ECC, insufficient key length makes a scheme vulnerable to factoring or discrete logarithm attacks, making it a primary security parameter.
Block size (C) is a property of symmetric block ciphers (e.g., AES), not asymmetric/public key algorithms, so it is irrelevant here. Cipher type (D) describes a category of algorithm rather than a measurable security characteristic - knowing it's "public key" tells you the paradigm, not whether it's secure.
Memory tip: Think "KD + KB = PKI security" - Key Distribution solves the who gets the key problem, and Key Bits (length) solves the how strong is the key problem. Both are unique decision points when designing or evaluating a public key scheme.
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