Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP) — Question 36

Which of the following is the process of finding weaknesses in cryptographic algorithms and obtaining the plaintext or key from the ciphertext?

Answer options

• A. Cryptographer
• B. Cryptography
• C. Kerberos
• D. Cryptanalysis

Correct answer: C

Explanation

The correct answer is D, Cryptanalysis, which specifically refers to the study and practice of deciphering encrypted data without access to the secret key. Options A and B relate to the broader field of cryptography, while option C, Kerberos, is a network authentication protocol and not related to breaking cryptographic algorithms.