Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Cybersecurity Practice Test

What does the Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) primarily utilize for user verification?

1. Static username and password combination

2. Smart cards

3. Public key encryption

4. Fingerprint recognition

The correct answer is: Static username and password combination

The Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) primarily utilizes a static username and password combination for user verification. This method relies on users providing a predetermined username along with a password that is associated with that username. When a user attempts to authenticate, the system checks these credentials against those stored in a database. PAP is one of the simplest forms of authentication, making it widely used in various network protocols and systems. It does not include additional security measures such as encryption in its basic form, which can expose the username and password during transmission if not supported by a secure channel. In contrast, the other options involve different methods of authentication or security that are not utilized by PAP. Smart cards are physical devices that store encrypted credentials and require a reader for authentication. Public key encryption involves asymmetric keys for securing data and does not typically involve static usernames or passwords in the same way as PAP. Fingerprint recognition is a biometric authentication method that requires physical characteristics for user verification rather than a username and password combination.