A Cryptographer Has Developed a New Proprietary Hash Function for a Company

question 379

Multiple Choice

A cryptographer has developed a new proprietary hash function for a company and solicited employees to test the function before recommending its implementation. An employee takes the plaintext version of a document and hashes it, then changes the original plaintext document slightly and hashes it, and continues repeating this process until two identical hash values are produced from two different documents. Which of the following BEST describes this cryptographic attack?

• A) Brute force
• B) Known plaintext
• C) Replay
• D) Collision

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Definitions:

Shays's Rebellion

An armed uprising in Western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, led by Daniel Shays, highlighting the need for a stronger national government which led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781, which was replaced by the US Constitution in 1789 due to its weaknesses in central authority.

Revolutionary War

The conflict (1775-1783) between the thirteen American colonies and Great Britain, leading to the independence of the United States.

Louisiana Purchase

The acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from France in 1803, doubling the size of the U.S. and opening the west for expansion.