________ occurs when companies believe they have good security because they are using proprietary ciphers that hackers do not know.

• A. Security through obscurity
• B. Weakest link ignorance
• C. Reasonable protection
• D. Hidden security

Answer: (A)

Security through obscurity is the idea being tested here: thinking you’re secure simply because the cryptographic algorithm is secret. Relying on hiding the cipher as the main defense is risky because once that secrecy is exposed, the security can crumble. Strong security comes from well-vetted, publicly analyzed algorithms, proper key management, and layered defenses, not from keeping the algorithm hidden. Proprietary ciphers haven’t typically endured broad scrutiny, so unknown weaknesses may go undetected and be exploited. This gives a false sense of security and isn’t a reliable practice.