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OCI Cloud Tech Jumpstart: Why Do We Use Hashing for Data Integrity and Encryption for Confidentiality?

Hashing vs Encryption: What Is the Difference Between One-Way and Two-Way Security?

Understand the key differences between hashing and encryption in cybersecurity. Learn why hashing provides irreversible data integrity, while two-way encryption protects confidentiality.

Question

What is a key difference between hashing and encryption?

A. Hashing protects confidentiality, whereas encryption ensures integrity.
B. Hashing is reversible, whereas encryption is one-way.
C. Both are used for data at rest, but only encryption is used for data in transit.
D. Hashing is one-way and used for integrity, whereas encryption is two-way and used for confidentiality.

Answer

D. Hashing is one-way and used for integrity, whereas encryption is two-way and used for confidentiality.

Explanation

While both hashing and encryption protect your data, they serve completely different purposes. Think of hashing as a digital fingerprint: it creates a unique, irreversible code from your data to prove that a file or password hasn’t been tampered with, verifying its integrity. Encryption works more like a safe with a key; it scrambles your sensitive information to keep it confidential from prying eyes, but allows authorized users to unlock and read the original data whenever needed.

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Cloud Tech Jumpstart certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the OCI Cloud Tech Jumpstart graded quizzes and final assessments, earn Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Cloud Tech Jumpstart digital credential and badge.