Question

Messages are encrypted using the AES-256-GCM cipher. What is the name of the cipher used to encrypt the messages?

1) AES-256-GCM
2) RSA
3) DES
4) SHA-256

Answer 1

The correct answer to the question about the cipher used for encryption is AES-256-GCM. It is a secure encryption and authentication method used in symmetric key cryptography, distinguishing it from other options like RSA, DES, and SHA-256.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is option 1) AES-256-GCM. Advanced Encryption Standard with a 256-bit key size and Galois/Counter Mode (GCM) is a secure encryption cipher used widely across various industries to protect electronic data. AES-256-GCM provides both encryption and authentication, ensuring that messages are not only kept confidential but also verifiable for their integrity.

This encryption method is part of the symmetric key algorithm family, where the same key is used for encrypting and decrypting messages. Unlike RSA, which is an asymmetric cipher involving separate public and private keys, AES relies on shared secret keys. DES is an older symmetric key cipher with a much smaller key size, making it less secure than AES. SHA-256, on the other hand, is not an encryption algorithm at all, but a cryptographic hash function used predominantly in hashing applications for data integrity, not encryption.