How Much Do You Know About Digital Certificate? Chapter 12 Quiz

Public key infrastructure (PKI) involves the use of public-key cryptography standards, trust models, and key management. PKI is a system that enables secure communication by using a pair of cryptographic keys, one public and one private. The public key is used to encrypt data, while the private key is used to decrypt it. PKI also includes a trust model that verifies the authenticity of public keys and ensures that they belong to the correct entities. Additionally, PKI manages the generation, distribution, and revocation of keys, ensuring the security and integrity of the system. Therefore, the correct answer is Public key infrastructure.

Cryptography plays a crucial role in securing data during transportation across a network. It involves encrypting the data using complex algorithms, making it unreadable to unauthorized individuals. Cryptographic protocols like SSL/TLS are widely used to establish secure connections between clients and servers, ensuring that data remains confidential and protected from potential threats or eavesdropping. Therefore, the given statement is false as cryptography does indeed protect data during transportation across a network.

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a protocol developed by Netscape for securely transmitting documents over the Internet. It provides encryption and authentication to ensure that data transmitted between a web server and a web browser remains secure and private. SSL is commonly used for securing online transactions, such as e-commerce websites, by encrypting sensitive information like credit card numbers. It has been widely replaced by the newer TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocol, but SSL is still commonly referred to when discussing secure connections on the internet.

Public keys can be stored by embedding them within digital certificates, which are used to verify the authenticity of the public key holder. This allows for secure communication and encryption. On the other hand, private keys are stored on the user's local system to ensure their confidentiality and prevent unauthorized access. Therefore, the statement is true as it correctly explains the storage methods for public and private keys.

A Certificate Authority (CA) is an entity that is responsible for issuing digital certificates. These certificates are used to verify the authenticity and integrity of digital communications and transactions. The CA acts as a trusted third-party agency, ensuring that the certificates are issued to the correct entities and that they can be trusted by relying parties. The CA uses cryptographic algorithms to generate and sign these certificates, providing a secure and reliable mechanism for establishing trust in the digital world.

TLS (Transport Layer Security) is an extension of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). SSL is a cryptographic protocol that provides secure communication over a computer network. TLS was developed as an upgraded version of SSL to address some of its vulnerabilities and improve security. Therefore, the correct answer is SSL.

Digital signatures are used to verify the authenticity and integrity of digital documents or messages. They provide a way to prove that the document or message was not tampered with and that it indeed came from the person who claims to have sent it. The digital signature is created by encrypting a hash of the document or message with the sender's private key. When the recipient receives the document or message, they can decrypt the digital signature using the sender's public key. If the decrypted hash matches the hash of the received document or message, it proves that the document or message has not been altered and that it was indeed signed by the person who possesses the corresponding private key. Therefore, the statement is true.

The correct answer is CP. CP stands for Certificate Policy, which is a document that provides recommended baseline security requirements for the use and operation of Certificate Authorities (CA), Registration Authorities (RA), and other Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) components. The CP outlines the policies and procedures that must be followed to ensure the security and integrity of the PKI system. It helps in establishing trust and interoperability among different PKI components and entities.

Hashing can be used to ensure the integrity of a file by guaranteeing that no one has tampered with it. Hashing involves applying a mathematical algorithm to a file to generate a unique hash value. This hash value is like a digital fingerprint of the file. If even a small change is made to the file, the hash value will change completely. By comparing the hash value of the original file with the hash value of the file at a later point, one can determine if the file has been tampered with or not.

Digital certificates can be used to identify objects other than users. Digital certificates are used to verify the authenticity and integrity of digital information, such as websites, software, and devices. They can be used to identify servers, routers, IoT devices, and other objects in a network. By issuing digital certificates to these objects, their identities can be verified, ensuring secure communication and preventing unauthorized access. Therefore, the statement that digital certificates cannot be used to identify objects other than users is false.

The correct answer is "destruction". In the context of the question, "destruction" refers to the process of removing all private and public keys, as well as the user's identification information, in the Certification Authority (CA). This implies that all sensitive data and information associated with the user are permanently deleted or rendered unusable, ensuring that no traces of the user's identity or cryptographic keys remain in the CA's system.

A class 2 certificate is known as a server digital certificate. This type of certificate is used to verify the authenticity and security of a server, ensuring that it is legitimate and can be trusted. It is commonly used in online transactions and secure communication protocols to establish a secure connection between a client and a server.

At the revocation stage of the certificate life cycle, the certificate is no longer valid. This means that the certificate has been officially invalidated or revoked, usually due to security concerns or the certificate holder's request. Once a certificate is revoked, it cannot be used for authentication or encryption purposes anymore. Revocation ensures that any entity relying on the certificate will be aware that it is no longer trustworthy.

The distributed trust model is the basis for digital certificates issued to Internet users. In this model, trust is distributed among multiple entities, such as certificate authorities, who verify the identity of users and issue digital certificates. This model ensures that trust is not centralized in a single entity, reducing the risk of compromise and providing a more secure system for authenticating users on the Internet.

The correct answer is escrow. In key escrow, keys are managed by a third party, usually a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). This means that the third party holds a copy of the keys and can retrieve them if necessary, providing an additional layer of security and ensuring that the keys are not lost or inaccessible. This is often used in situations where key management is critical, such as in encryption systems or secure communication protocols.