200-201 Question 160
Select 3A network administrator is configuring secure communication between two devices using encryption. They decide to use a symmetric encryption algorithm for data transmission. Which of the following statements accurately describe symmetric encryption in this scenario?
- A
The same key is used for both encryption and decryption.
- B
Symmetric encryption is generally faster than asymmetric encryption.
- C
A pair of public and private keys is required for encryption and decryption.
- D
Key distribution is a significant challenge in symmetric encryption.
- E
Symmetric encryption is ideal for large-scale public key infrastructure (PKI) environments.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: A, B, D
Explanation
Symmetric encryption uses the same key for encryption and decryption, making it efficient and faster compared to asymmetric encryption. However, the primary challenge lies in the secure distribution of the shared key. Asymmetric encryption, on the other hand, is better suited for PKI environments due to its use of public/private key pairs.
- A. Correct.
Correct: Symmetric encryption uses a single key for both encryption and decryption, which is a key characteristic of this approach.
- B. Correct.
Correct: Symmetric encryption is computationally less intensive, making it faster compared to asymmetric encryption.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect: Asymmetric encryption requires a public/private key pair, which is not applicable to symmetric encryption.
- D. Correct.
Correct: Distributing the shared key securely is a known challenge with symmetric encryption, especially in large networks.
- E. Incorrect.
Incorrect: Symmetric encryption is not typically used in PKI environments, which rely heavily on asymmetric encryption for secure key exchanges.