What security measure may be applied to time updates to protect them?

What security measure may be applied to time updates to protect them?

• A. They may be encrypted with a symmetric key
• B. They must be transmitted in plaintext
• C. They should be signed with a certificate only
• D. They should be delivered via email

Answer: (A)

Securing time updates helps keep clocks across systems synchronized and protects the integrity of audit timestamps. Encrypting time update messages with a symmetric key ensures that the data in transit is not readable by outsiders and cannot be tampered with without the shared key, which is a practical way to guard these updates from interception or alteration. Transmitting in plaintext would expose the updates to eavesdropping and potential tampering. Signing with a certificate provides integrity and authenticity, but not confidentiality, and it’s not the typical primary protection for time distribution in many environments. Delivering updates via email is insecure and unreliable for critical time synchronization. Therefore, encrypting time updates with a symmetric key is the best fit.

Securing time updates helps keep clocks across systems synchronized and protects the integrity of audit timestamps. Encrypting time update messages with a symmetric key ensures that the data in transit is not readable by outsiders and cannot be tampered with without the shared key, which is a practical way to guard these updates from interception or alteration.

Transmitting in plaintext would expose the updates to eavesdropping and potential tampering. Signing with a certificate provides integrity and authenticity, but not confidentiality, and it’s not the typical primary protection for time distribution in many environments. Delivering updates via email is insecure and unreliable for critical time synchronization. Therefore, encrypting time updates with a symmetric key is the best fit.