CompTIA CASP+ Practice Test

What is the primary objective in using forward secrecy in secure communication?

1. Ensuring data integrity

2. Preventing data breaches

3. Protecting past session keys from being compromised

4. Enforcing strict access controls

The correct answer is: Protecting past session keys from being compromised

The primary objective of using forward secrecy in secure communication is to protect past session keys from being compromised. Forward secrecy ensures that even if a private key or long-term key is compromised in the future, previously established session keys remain secure and cannot be retroactively decrypted. This is achieved through the use of ephemeral key exchanges, where new public/private key pairs are generated for each session. As a result, each session is independent; gaining access to a long-term key does not allow an attacker to decrypt past communications, thereby enhancing the overall security of the data exchanges. The other options, while relevant to security practices, do not capture the specific aim of forward secrecy. For instance, ensuring data integrity is more about maintaining the accuracy and consistency of data rather than protecting past keys. Preventing data breaches pertains to overall security measures rather than the specific handling of session keys. Enforcing strict access controls refers to managing who can access information or systems, which is separate from the principle of preserving the confidentiality of historical communications through forward secrecy.