Which two encryption mechanisms are approved for use by US Federal agencies?

Which two encryption mechanisms are approved for use by US Federal agencies?

• A. rDES-CBC
• B. RC4-128
• C. 3DES-EDE
• D. AES

Answer: (A)

The correct answer includes 3DES-EDE and AES, as both are widely recognized encryption mechanisms approved for use by U.S. Federal agencies under federal standards and guidelines. 3DES-EDE (Triple Data Encryption Standard in Encrypt-Decrypt-Encrypt mode) enhances the original DES encryption by applying the DES algorithm three times to each data block, thereby providing a higher level of security compared to its predecessor. It was adopted in the early days of federal encryption implementation and is still accepted, although its use is being phased out in favor of stronger alternatives. AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) has become the standard for federal use, selected for its strength and efficiency. AES supports key sizes of 128, 192, and 256 bits, making it robust against potential attacks. It is considered secure enough to protect sensitive but unclassified information, and its adoption is mandated in various federal regulations. Conversely, rDES-CBC and RC4-128 are not suitable for federal use as they do not meet current security standards. In particular, RC4 has been found to have multiple vulnerabilities and is no longer recommended for secure communications. Similarly, rDES (a variant of DES) lacks the strength required for protecting sensitive information in today's cybersecurity landscape.

The correct answer includes 3DES-EDE and AES, as both are widely recognized encryption mechanisms approved for use by U.S. Federal agencies under federal standards and guidelines.

3DES-EDE (Triple Data Encryption Standard in Encrypt-Decrypt-Encrypt mode) enhances the original DES encryption by applying the DES algorithm three times to each data block, thereby providing a higher level of security compared to its predecessor. It was adopted in the early days of federal encryption implementation and is still accepted, although its use is being phased out in favor of stronger alternatives.

AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) has become the standard for federal use, selected for its strength and efficiency. AES supports key sizes of 128, 192, and 256 bits, making it robust against potential attacks. It is considered secure enough to protect sensitive but unclassified information, and its adoption is mandated in various federal regulations.

Conversely, rDES-CBC and RC4-128 are not suitable for federal use as they do not meet current security standards. In particular, RC4 has been found to have multiple vulnerabilities and is no longer recommended for secure communications. Similarly, rDES (a variant of DES) lacks the strength required for protecting sensitive information in today's cybersecurity landscape.