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SY0-701 · Question #196

SY0-701 Question #196: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

The correct answer is A: Symmetric. Symmetric encryption uses a single shared key for both encryption and decryption - exactly what's described here, where both the sender and receiver use the same key. Asymmetric (B) is wrong because it uses a key pair (public + private), meaning the encryption and decryption keys

Submitted by femi9· Mar 6, 2026General security concepts

Question

A systems administrator uses a key to encrypt a message being sent to a peer in a different branch office. The peer then uses the same key to decrypt the message. Which of the following describes this example?

Options

  • ASymmetric
  • BAsymmetric
  • CHashing
  • DSalting

Explanation

Symmetric encryption uses a single shared key for both encryption and decryption - exactly what's described here, where both the sender and receiver use the same key. Asymmetric (B) is wrong because it uses a key pair (public + private), meaning the encryption and decryption keys are different. Hashing (C) is a one-way transformation that produces a fixed-length digest and is not reversible, so it cannot be used to decrypt a message. Salting (D) is a technique used alongside hashing to add random data before hashing, preventing rainbow table attacks - it has nothing to do with message encryption.

Memory tip: Think "symmetric = same" - same key in, same key out, like a single house key that both locks and unlocks the door.

Topics

#Symmetric encryption#Cryptography#Encryption keys

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