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ISC2 CISSP Exam - Topic 2 Question 109 Discussion

Actual exam question for ISC2's CISSP exam
Question #: 109
Topic #: 2
[All CISSP Questions]

How is it possible to extract private keys securely stored on a cryptographic smartcard?

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Suggested Answer: B

The technique that can be used to extract private keys securely stored on a cryptographic smartcard is focused ion-beam. A cryptographic smartcard is a type of smartcard that is used for cryptographic purposes, such as encryption, decryption, authentication, or digital signatures. A cryptographic smartcard contains a microprocessor or a microcontroller that can perform cryptographic operations, as well as a memory that can store cryptographic keys, certificates, or data. A cryptographic smartcard can help to enhance the security and convenience of the cryptographic processes, by providing a portable, tamper-resistant, and user-friendly device that can perform or support the cryptographic processes. However, a cryptographic smartcard can also be vulnerable to various attacks or techniques that aim to extract or compromise the cryptographic keys or data that are securely stored on the smartcard, by exploiting the physical or logical weaknesses or flaws of the smartcard. The technique that can be used to extract private keys securely stored on a cryptographic smartcard is focused ion-beam, which is a type of physical attack or technique that uses a beam of ions, such as gallium or helium, to modify or manipulate the structure or circuitry of the smartcard. Focused ion-beam can be used to extract private keys securely stored on a cryptographic smartcard, by using the beam of ions to cut, drill, or etch the smartcard, and to access or read the memory or the microprocessor of the smartcard, where the private keys are stored. Focused ion-beam can also be used to bypass or disable the security features or mechanisms of the smartcard, such as the sensors, fuses, or shields, that are designed to prevent or detect the physical tampering or modification of the smartcard. Bluebugging, bluejacking, or power analysis are not the techniques that can be used to extract private keys securely stored on a cryptographic smartcard, as they are either more related to the wireless or Bluetooth attacks or techniques, which exploit the wireless or Bluetooth communication or connection of the smartcard, rather than the physical structure or circuitry of the smartcard, or to the side-channel attacks or techniques, which exploit the physical characteristics or behavior of the smartcard, such as the power consumption, electromagnetic radiation, or timing, rather than the physical modification or manipulation of the smartcard.Reference:CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide, Eighth Edition, Chapter 5: Cryptography and Symmetric Key Algorithms, page 296;CISSP Official (ISC)2 Practice Tests, Third Edition, Domain 3: Security Engineering, Question 3.12, page 137.


by Shakira at Nov 19, 2025, 09:08 PM

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Goldie
1 day ago
B) Focused ion-beam sounds too complex for most scenarios.
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Carin
6 days ago
Agreed! Power analysis can reveal key information.
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Martina
12 days ago
Definitely agree, focused ion-beam is pretty advanced!
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Tanja
17 days ago
Bluebugging is old news, right?
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Ligia
22 days ago
Power analysis? Sounds too good to be true.
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Miesha
27 days ago
I thought bluejacking was just for fun, not hacking!
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Fredric
2 months ago
Focused ion-beam is a legit method!
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Sherly
2 months ago
Bluejacking? What is this, a pirate's treasure hunt?
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Rozella
2 months ago
D) Power analysis is the way to go. It's the industry standard for this kind of thing.
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Martin
2 months ago
A) Bluebugging? Really? That's so 2005. Get with the times, people.
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Carlene
2 months ago
B) Focused ion-beam is the way to go, it's the most secure and reliable method.
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Leslie
2 months ago
D) Power analysis seems like the most viable option to extract private keys from a smartcard.
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Fatima
3 months ago
Power analysis definitely rings a bell as a technique for side-channel attacks, but I need to double-check if it's the right answer here.
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Rozella
3 months ago
I practiced a question similar to this, and I feel like bluebugging and bluejacking are more about exploiting Bluetooth vulnerabilities, not key extraction.
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Glenn
3 months ago
Focused ion-beam sounds familiar, but I can't recall if it's actually used for extracting keys or just for analyzing chips.
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Luis
3 months ago
I think I remember something about power analysis being a method to extract keys, but I'm not entirely sure how it works.
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Raymon
3 months ago
I think power analysis is the way to go. If I can understand the underlying principles, I might be able to come up with a secure solution for this problem.
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Ashton
3 months ago
Focused ion-beam seems like the most technical and advanced method, but I'm not sure if that's the best approach for this exam question.
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Curtis
4 months ago
Hmm, I'm a bit confused by the options. Bluebugging and bluejacking don't seem relevant to extracting private keys. I'll have to think this through carefully.
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Eun
4 months ago
I think D) Power analysis is the most plausible. It targets the power consumption.
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Regenia
4 months ago
I feel like D) is the safest bet. It's widely discussed in security circles.
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Miesha
5 months ago
Power analysis sounds like the most promising approach, but I'll need to research that technique more to understand how it works.
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Ty
5 months ago
I'm not sure how to approach this one. Extracting private keys from a smartcard seems really difficult and risky.
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Leeann
4 months ago
Extracting keys is tricky for sure.
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Raina
4 months ago
Focused ion-beam sounds advanced but risky.
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