CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) — Question 160

In order to strengthen a password and prevent a hacker from cracking it, a random string of 36 characters was added to the password. Which of the following best describes this technique?

Answer options

• A. Key stretching
• B. Tokenization
• C. Data masking
• D. Salting

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is D, salting, which involves adding random data to a password to ensure that even if two users have the same password, their hashes will differ. Key stretching (A) enhances password strength but does not involve adding random characters. Tokenization (B) replaces sensitive data with non-sensitive equivalents, and data masking (C) obscures data but does not contribute to password security.