312-50V9 Question #160: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

The correct answer is B: Public-key cryptosystems distribute public-keys within digital signatures.. A core characteristic of PKI is that public keys are distributed through digitally signed certificates issued by a Certificate Authority.

Question

Which of the following is a characteristic of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)?

Options

APublic-key cryptosystems are faster than symmetric-key cryptosystems.
BPublic-key cryptosystems distribute public-keys within digital signatures.
CPublic-key cryptosystems do not require a secure key distribution channel.
DPublic-key cryptosystems do not provide technical non-repudiation via digital signatures.

Explanation

A core characteristic of PKI is that public keys are distributed through digitally signed certificates issued by a Certificate Authority.

Common mistakes.

A. Public-key cryptosystems are actually significantly slower than symmetric-key cryptosystems due to the mathematical complexity of asymmetric operations like RSA.
C. PKI exists precisely because public key distribution still requires authenticated infrastructure - Certificate Authorities provide the trusted chain needed to verify that a public key genuinely belongs to the claimed owner.
D. Technical non-repudiation via digital signatures is one of the primary capabilities that PKI and asymmetric cryptography provide, not a feature they lack.

Concept tested. PKI public key distribution via digital certificates

Reference. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/seccertenroll/about-public-key-infrastructure

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