Under PKI, the entity that guarantees certificate validity is called a

Under PKI, the entity that guarantees certificate validity is called a

• A. Digital certificate
• B. Public Key Infrastructure
• C. Public Key Cryptography Standards (PKCS)
• D. Certificate Authority (CA)

Answer: (D)

A Certificate Authority is the trusted entity in PKI that verifies identities and signs digital certificates. By issuing and signing a certificate with its private key, the CA binds the subject’s identity to a public key, letting anyone verify the association using the CA’s public key. This creates a chain of trust: as long as you trust the CA, you can trust the certificates it issues. The CA can also revoke certificates when needed, maintaining trust over time. The other options refer to the certificate itself (digital certificate), the overall framework (PKI), or a set of standards (PKCS), none of which are the entity that guarantees validity.

A Certificate Authority is the trusted entity in PKI that verifies identities and signs digital certificates. By issuing and signing a certificate with its private key, the CA binds the subject’s identity to a public key, letting anyone verify the association using the CA’s public key. This creates a chain of trust: as long as you trust the CA, you can trust the certificates it issues. The CA can also revoke certificates when needed, maintaining trust over time. The other options refer to the certificate itself (digital certificate), the overall framework (PKI), or a set of standards (PKCS), none of which are the entity that guarantees validity.