CompTIA
SY0-301 · Question #623
SY0-301 Question #623: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation
The correct answer is D: Hash. A cryptographic hash generates a unique fixed-length digest of a file's contents, so any modification - however small - produces a different hash, making it the standard tool for integrity verification.
Question
Which of the following would a security administrator use to verify the integrity of a file?
Options
- ATime stamp
- BMAC times
- CFile descriptor
- DHash
Explanation
A cryptographic hash generates a unique fixed-length digest of a file's contents, so any modification - however small - produces a different hash, making it the standard tool for integrity verification.
Common mistakes.
- A. A timestamp records when a file was last modified but can be easily manipulated and does not prove the content is unchanged.
- B. MAC times (Modified, Accessed, Created) are forensic metadata used for timeline analysis, not cryptographic proof of content integrity.
- C. A file descriptor is an operating system handle to an open file and has no bearing on verifying file integrity.
Concept tested. Cryptographic hashing for file integrity verification
Reference. https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/fips/180/4/final
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