Cryptography & Network Security Unit 3 – Message Authentication, Hash Functions and Digital Signatures: important questions for AKTU
Unit 3 (Message Authentication, Hash Functions and Digital Signatures) questions that AKTU repeats most often. This unit carries about 26 marks per paper. Start with the repeated questions, then the most asked topics.
Most repeated Unit 3 questions
- Explain Hash Function? Discuss SHA- 512 with all required steps, round function & block diagram. (7 marks, 2026, Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA)) – also asked in 2018, 2023, 2024
- Discuss the Message Authentication Codes. Also give the use of Authentication requirements in MAC. (7 marks, 2026, Message Authentication Codes) – also asked in 2019, 2022, 2024
- Illustrate the idea of Digital Signature for authentication. Discuss signing & verifying process of Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) in detail with suitable steps. (10 marks, 2025, Digital Signatures) – also asked in 2018, 2023, 2024
Most important Unit 3 topic
- Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) (Unit 3: Message Authentication, Hash Functions and Digital Signatures) – asked 10 times in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Most asked Unit 3 topics
- Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) – asked 10 times
- Digital Signatures – asked 8 times
- Message Authentication Codes – asked 6 times
More Unit 3 previous year questions
- Explain requirement of Hashing. (2 marks, 2026, Hash Functions)
- What is the purpose of a digital signature? (2 marks, 2026, Digital Signatures)
- State and proof digital signature standard (DSS). (7 marks, 2026, Proof of Digital Signature Algorithm)
- Explain authentication requirements and hash functions. Discuss birthday attack. (7 marks, 2026, Hash Functions)
- Describe Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) and its security features. (7 marks, 2026, Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA))
Unit 3 syllabus topics
- Authentication Requirements
- Authentication Functions
- Message Authentication Codes
- Hash Functions
- Birthday Attacks
- Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA)
- Digital Signatures
- ElGamal Digital Signature Techniques
- Digital Signature Standards (DSS)
- Proof of Digital Signature Algorithm