Hashing Algorithms (Security+) Quiz: MD5, SHA & Salting

1. Which of the following best describes preimage resistance?

It is impossible to find two inputs with the same hash

It is computationally infeasible to find an input that produces a given hash

The hash output is always shorter than the input

The hash function is reversible

2. Which hashing algorithm is most commonly used in digital certificates and SSL/TLS?

MD5

SHA-1

SHA-256

MD4

3. True or False: Different salts for the same password will produce different hashes.

True

False

4. Which statement about hash collisions is true?

Collisions are mathematically impossible

Good hash functions make collisions computationally infeasible

Collisions occur frequently in SHA-256

Collisions indicate the hash function is working correctly

Submit

6. In HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code), what is the purpose of the secret key?

To encrypt the message

To ensure authenticity and integrity verification

To compress the message

To replace the hash algorithm

7. What is the relationship between hash function output size and collision resistance?

Larger outputs decrease collision resistance

Output size has no effect on collision resistance

Larger outputs increase the difficulty of finding collisions

Smaller outputs are always more secure

8. Which algorithm family was designed as a replacement for SHA-2?

MD6

BLAKE2

SHA-3

RIPEMD-160

9. True or False: MD5 is still recommended for password storage in modern applications.

True

False

Submit

11. What is the primary purpose of a cryptographic hash function?

To encrypt data for confidentiality

To produce a fixed-size fingerprint that verifies data integrity

To generate random numbers for encryption keys

To compress files for storage

12. What is a rainbow table attack?

An attack that uses colored light to bypass security

A precomputed table of common passwords and their hash values

An attack that modifies hash algorithms

A brute-force attack on encryption keys

13. True or False: The same input will always produce the same hash output in a cryptographic hash function.

True

False

14. Which SHA variant is considered the most secure for current applications?

SHA-1

SHA-256

SHA-512

SHA-3

Submit

16. Which property ensures that even a tiny change in input produces a completely different hash?

Determinism

Avalanche effect

Preimage resistance

Collision resistance

17. In password security, what does 'salting' accomplish?

It encrypts the password before hashing

It adds random data to prevent rainbow table attacks

It reduces the hash output size

It allows password recovery if forgotten

18. What is the output size of SHA-256?

128 bits

160 bits

256 bits

512 bits

19. Why is MD5 considered cryptographically broken for security applications?

It produces output that is too long

Collision vulnerabilities allow different inputs to produce identical hashes

It requires too much computational power

It cannot hash binary data

20. Which hash algorithm produces a 128-bit output?

SHA-256

SHA-512

MD5

SHA-3

Hashing Quiz: MD5, SHA & Salting Decoded

1. Which of the following best describes preimage resistance?

2.

What first name or nickname would you like us to use?

2. Which hashing algorithm is most commonly used in digital certificates and SSL/TLS?

3. True or False: Different salts for the same password will produce different hashes.

4. Which statement about hash collisions is true?

5. A cryptographic hash function must be ____ to ensure the same input always produces the same output.

6. In HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code), what is the purpose of the secret key?

7. What is the relationship between hash function output size and collision resistance?

8. Which algorithm family was designed as a replacement for SHA-2?

9. True or False: MD5 is still recommended for password storage in modern applications.

10. A secure password hashing process should use ____ to prevent dictionary attacks.

11. What is the primary purpose of a cryptographic hash function?

12. What is a rainbow table attack?

13. True or False: The same input will always produce the same hash output in a cryptographic hash function.

14. Which SHA variant is considered the most secure for current applications?

15. SHA-1 is deprecated for cryptographic use primarily because of its ____ vulnerability.

16. Which property ensures that even a tiny change in input produces a completely different hash?

17. In password security, what does 'salting' accomplish?

18. What is the output size of SHA-256?

19. Why is MD5 considered cryptographically broken for security applications?

20. Which hash algorithm produces a 128-bit output?