Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) Practice Test

The correct choice, RSA, is a widely recognized cryptographic algorithm that operates using the principles of asymmetric key cryptography. In asymmetric cryptography, a pair of keys is utilized: a public key that can be shared with anyone and a private key that is kept secret by the owner. RSA relies on the mathematical properties of large prime numbers and the difficulty of factoring their product to ensure secure communications. When someone wants to send an encrypted message using RSA, they can use the recipient's public key to encrypt the data. Only the recipient, who possesses the corresponding private key, can decrypt this information. This key pair mechanism enables secure data transmission, digital signatures, and secure key exchanges, making RSA foundational in establishing secure connections over the internet. The other algorithms mentioned, such as DES, AES, and Blowfish, fall under symmetric key cryptography. In symmetric systems, the same key is used for both encryption and decryption, which can lead to challenges related to key distribution and management. RSA’s asymmetric nature provides distinct advantages for certain applications, particularly in scenarios where secure key exchange is necessary without the need to previously share a secret.