The consultants at Smith Consultants Inc. work on laptops that are protected by asymmetrical cryptography. To keep the management of the keys cheap, all consultants use the same key pair. What is…

Question

Options

• AIf the private key becomes known all laptops must be supplied with new keys.
• BIf the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) becomes known all laptops must be supplied with new keys.
• CIf the public key becomes known all laptops must be supplied with new keys.

• A
  76% (32)
• B
  14% (6)
• C
  10% (4)

Explanation

Option A is correct because in asymmetric cryptography, the private key is the secret component - if it is exposed, an attacker can decrypt communications or impersonate any consultant using that key pair. Since all consultants share the same key pair, a single private key compromise invalidates security for every laptop simultaneously, requiring a full key rotation across the organization.

Option B is wrong because PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) is a system - a framework of certificates, authorities, and policies - not a key itself. PKI details becoming "known" is not a meaningful cryptographic threat in this context.

Option C is wrong because the public key is designed to be shared openly. Disclosing it is expected and poses no security risk - that is the fundamental principle of asymmetric cryptography.

Memory tip: Think "Private = Problem." Only the private key being exposed forces new keys; public keys are public by design. The real danger of sharing one key pair company-wide is that one leak becomes everyone's problem.

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