Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH v11) — Question 316

In the field of cryptanalysis, what is meant by a `rubber-hose` attack?

Answer options

• A. Forcing the targeted keystream through a hardware-accelerated device such as an ASIC.
• B. A backdoor placed into a cryptographic algorithm by its creator.
• C. Extraction of cryptographic secrets through coercion or torture.
• D. Attempting to decrypt ciphertext by making logical assumptions about the contents of the original plaintext.

Correct answer: C

Explanation

A `rubber-hose` attack refers to the extraction of cryptographic secrets through coercion or torture, making option C the correct choice. Options A and B describe different forms of attacks that do not involve coercion, while option D pertains to logical deductions rather than physical coercion.