312-50V11 · Question #32
Alice encrypts her data using her public key PK and stores the encrypted data in the cloud. Which of the following attack scenarios will compromise the privacy of her data?
The correct answer is D. Alice also stores her private key in the cloud, and Harry breaks into the cloud server as before. Data encrypted with a public key can only be decrypted with the matching private key. If the private key is stored on the same server that an attacker compromises, the attacker gains everything needed to decrypt the data.
Question
Alice encrypts her data using her public key PK and stores the encrypted data in the cloud. Which of the following attack scenarios will compromise the privacy of her data?
Options
- ANone of these scenarios compromise the privacy of Alice's data
- BAgent Andrew subpoenas Alice, forcing her to reveal her private key. However, the cloud server
- CHacker Harry breaks into the cloud server and steals the encrypted data
- DAlice also stores her private key in the cloud, and Harry breaks into the cloud server as before
How the community answered
(28 responses)- A18% (5)
- B7% (2)
- C7% (2)
- D68% (19)
Why each option
Data encrypted with a public key can only be decrypted with the matching private key. If the private key is stored on the same server that an attacker compromises, the attacker gains everything needed to decrypt the data.
This is incorrect because scenario D does directly compromise Alice's data privacy by exposing her private key.
Even if Andrew legally obtains Alice's private key, he cannot decrypt the data without also gaining access to the encrypted ciphertext stored on the cloud server.
Stealing only the encrypted ciphertext does not compromise privacy because Harry lacks Alice's private key required for decryption.
Public key encryption protects data only as long as the private key remains secret and under the owner's exclusive control. When Alice stores her private key on the same cloud server as the encrypted data, a successful breach by Harry gives him both the ciphertext and the decryption key simultaneously. With both components in hand, Harry can fully decrypt Alice's data, completely defeating the confidentiality guarantee.
Concept tested: Public key encryption and private key confidentiality
Source: https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/public_key_cryptography
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