What Makes This Cryptography Weak?

About this interactive

What you are doing: naming what makes the cryptography weak in each situation. Weak cipher or key: the algorithm itself, or the key length chosen for it, can be broken. DES was once strong and is now cracked fairly easily, and a cipher suite that still offers broken ciphers has the same problem. Key length has to fit the job, never too short. Poor key handling: the cipher may be strong, but the key is not protected. It is written into code, left where others can read it, stored next to the data it protects, or never changed. Weak random numbers: cryptography depends on random numbers. If they can be predicted, so can the keys and tokens made from them. Certificate error: the certificate is expired, untrusted or for another name, and browsers warn. The lesson says this one treads the line with human vulnerabilities, because users trained to click past warnings will click past a real attack. No encryption: the data is not encrypted at all. How to use it: ask which part failed: the algorithm, the key, the randomness, the certificate, or whether there was any encryption.

What you'll learn

Name the cryptographic vulnerability in a situation: a weak cipher or key length, poor key handling, weak random numbers, a certificate error, or no encryption at all

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+

2.3 Explain various types of vulnerabilities.

1.4 Explain the importance of using appropriate cryptographic solutions.

Key terms

Cipher: An algorithm used to encrypt and decrypt data.
Key Length: The size of a cryptographic key measured in bits, where each additional bit doubles the number of possible key combinations and increases encryption strength.
Key Management: The administration of cryptographic keys throughout their lifecycle, including generation, storage, distribution, and destruction, to ensure secure cryptographic operations.
Digital Certificate: An electronic document that uses a digital signature to bind a public key with an identity.
Cipher Suite: A preconfigured set of algorithms specifying the symmetric cipher, key length, mode of operation, hashing algorithm, and key exchange method used to secure TLS communication.
Encryption: The process of converting readable data into an unreadable format using an algorithm and key to prevent unauthorized access.

Topics

Cipher Key Length Key Management Digital Certificate Cipher Suite Encryption Interactive Categorize

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