Which of the following best describes the goals of cryptography in software security?

• A. Confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation
• B. Only encryption
• C. Only hashing
• D. Only data availability

Answer: (A)

Cryptography in software security aims to protect information by delivering a set of core properties: confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation. Confidentiality keeps data secret from unauthorized parties through encryption and proper key management. Integrity ensures data hasn’t been altered in transit or storage, typically using cryptographic hashes, message authentication codes, or digital signatures. Authenticity verifies the source of data, establishing that it came from who it claims to be, via digital signatures, certificates, and public-key cryptography. Non-repudiation provides evidence that a specific entity originated a message or action, enabled by digital signatures and tamper-evident logs. Availability is important in security, but it isn’t provided by cryptography alone. So the set of goals that best describes cryptography’s role comprises confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation.