Lab Answers
Rodney L. Bennett Jr
ISSC362 Week 1 Lab #2:
Implement Hashing and Encryption for Secure Communications
Instructor Name: _Adam Meyer_
Lab Assessment Questions
1. Compare the hash values calculated for example.txt that you documented during this lab. Explain in your own words why the hash values will change when the data is modified.
The hash file is changed when the data is modified because the information within the file has changed and it is considered a new/different file.
2. Why are the MD5sum and SHA1sum hash values the same every time you calculate for the “example.txt” sample file? What if they were different when you re-calculated the hash value at the other end?
Because the data has not changed and a different hash value is not needed because nothing (data) has changed from the original format/file.
3. 2
4.
3. If you were using corporate e-mail for internal and external communications but did not want to encrypt an e-mail message, what other security countermeasure can you deploy to ensure message integrity?
One other security countermeasure to use if I did not want to encrypt e-mail from my corporate account would be to use a digital signature to ensure message integrity. I know this because I use it on a daily basis.
4. If you are using corporate e-mail for external communications that contain confidential information, what other security countermeasure can you deploy to maximize confidentiality of e-mail transmissions through the Internet?
Again, I would utilize a digital signature. I would also use cryptology to maximize confidentiality of e-mail transmissions through the internet from my corporate account.
5. What is the difference between MD5sum and SHA1sum hashing calculations? Which is better and why?
MD5sum is basically a one-way with a max of 128 bits processed for its input while SHA1sum can process up to 512 bits along with padding. I would say that SHA1sum is better due to the fact that padding
ISSC362 Week 1 Lab #2:
Implement Hashing and Encryption for Secure Communications
Instructor Name: _Adam Meyer_
Lab Assessment Questions
1. Compare the hash values calculated for example.txt that you documented during this lab. Explain in your own words why the hash values will change when the data is modified.
The hash file is changed when the data is modified because the information within the file has changed and it is considered a new/different file.
2. Why are the MD5sum and SHA1sum hash values the same every time you calculate for the “example.txt” sample file? What if they were different when you re-calculated the hash value at the other end?
Because the data has not changed and a different hash value is not needed because nothing (data) has changed from the original format/file.
3. 2
4.
3. If you were using corporate e-mail for internal and external communications but did not want to encrypt an e-mail message, what other security countermeasure can you deploy to ensure message integrity?
One other security countermeasure to use if I did not want to encrypt e-mail from my corporate account would be to use a digital signature to ensure message integrity. I know this because I use it on a daily basis.
4. If you are using corporate e-mail for external communications that contain confidential information, what other security countermeasure can you deploy to maximize confidentiality of e-mail transmissions through the Internet?
Again, I would utilize a digital signature. I would also use cryptology to maximize confidentiality of e-mail transmissions through the internet from my corporate account.
5. What is the difference between MD5sum and SHA1sum hashing calculations? Which is better and why?
MD5sum is basically a one-way with a max of 128 bits processed for its input while SHA1sum can process up to 512 bits along with padding. I would say that SHA1sum is better due to the fact that padding