Strong cryptography is based on industry-tested algorithms with minimum 112-bit effective key strength and proper key-management practices. Which statement best describes this concept?

• A. It uses industry-tested algorithms with minimum 112-bit effective key strength and proper key-management practices.
• B. It allows any encryption as long as data is encrypted.
• C. It prohibits hashing.
• D. It uses only symmetric encryption with no key management.

Answer: (A)

Strong cryptography comes from using algorithms that have been widely tested and vetted by the security community, combined with keys that are long enough to resist brute-force attacks and managed securely throughout their lifecycle. The statement that best describes this concept explicitly calls for industry-tested algorithms with a minimum 112-bit effective key strength and proper key-management practices, which together ensure both the strength of the cipher and the protection of the keys themselves. If you allow any encryption just because data is encrypted, you could be using weak or broken algorithms, which undermines security. Prohibiting hashing or restricting to symmetric encryption with no key management misses important parts of secure design—hashing and proper key handling are essential elements of strong cryptography, regardless of the algorithm type.