CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) — Question 320

Which of the following cryptographic methods is preferred for securing communications with limited computing resources?

Answer options

• A. Hashing algorithm
• B. Public key infrastructure
• C. Symmetric encryption
• D. Elliptic curve cryptography

Correct answer: C

Explanation

Symmetric encryption is preferred in scenarios with limited computing resources because it requires less computational overhead compared to public key infrastructure or elliptic curve cryptography. Hashing algorithms are not suitable for securing communications as they do not provide encryption but rather integrity verification. While elliptic curve cryptography is efficient, symmetric encryption generally offers a better balance of speed and resource usage in low-power environments.