SK0-004 · Question #896
Which of the following PKI elements will a web server distribute to all of its clients using HTTPS?
The correct answer is B. Server public key. In HTTPS, the web server distributes its SSL/TLS certificate to clients, and that certificate contains the server's public key used to establish a secure session.
Question
Which of the following PKI elements will a web server distribute to all of its clients using HTTPS?
Options
- ARoot CA public key
- BServer public key
- CRoot CA private key
- DServer private key
- EServer session key
How the community answered
(49 responses)- A6% (3)
- B88% (43)
- C2% (1)
- E4% (2)
Why each option
In HTTPS, the web server distributes its SSL/TLS certificate to clients, and that certificate contains the server's public key used to establish a secure session.
The root CA public key is not distributed by the web server - it is pre-installed in client browsers and operating systems as part of their trusted root certificate stores.
During the TLS handshake, the web server sends its digital certificate to every connecting client, and that certificate contains the server's public key. The client uses this public key to verify the server's identity via the CA signature on the certificate and to participate in key exchange for encrypting the session. The server's public key is the only PKI element the server actively pushes to all clients.
The root CA private key is never distributed to anyone; it is kept secret by the Certificate Authority to protect the integrity of the entire PKI trust chain.
The server private key is never shared with clients - it stays on the server and is used to decrypt data or sign handshake messages.
Session keys are ephemeral and negotiated collaboratively by both parties during the TLS handshake; the server does not pre-generate and distribute them.
Concept tested: PKI certificate distribution during HTTPS TLS handshake
Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/security/tls/tls-ssl-schannel-ssp-overview
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