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SSCP · Question #1168

Which of the following organizations can be a valid Certificate Authority (CA)?

The correct answer is E. All of the entities listed could be valid Certificate Authorities. A wide variety of organizations, including software vendors, security companies, and even internal IT departments, can function as Certificate Authorities (CAs).

Submitted by devops_kid· Apr 18, 2026Cryptography

Question

Which of the following organizations can be a valid Certificate Authority (CA)?

Options

  • AVerisign
  • BMicrosoft
  • CNetscape
  • DDell
  • EAll of the entities listed could be valid Certificate Authorities

How the community answered

(56 responses)
  • A
    7% (4)
  • B
    2% (1)
  • C
    2% (1)
  • D
    4% (2)
  • E
    86% (48)

Why each option

A wide variety of organizations, including software vendors, security companies, and even internal IT departments, can function as Certificate Authorities (CAs).

AVerisign

While Verisign is a valid CA, it's not the only one, making this option incomplete.

BMicrosoft

Microsoft is a valid CA provider (e.g., through AD CS), but not the only one, making this option incomplete.

CNetscape

Netscape, historically, was involved in PKI development, and an entity with its profile could establish a CA; however, it's not the only one.

DDell

Dell, like any large enterprise, could establish a private CA for internal purposes; however, it's not the only option, making this option incomplete.

EAll of the entities listed could be valid Certificate AuthoritiesCorrect

All the entities listed-Verisign (a public CA), Microsoft (offering AD Certificate Services for private CAs), Netscape (a historical browser vendor that understood PKI), and Dell (which could establish a private CA)-are examples of organizations that could technically operate as valid Certificate Authorities. The ability to be a CA depends on establishing trust and operating a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).

Concept tested: Certificate Authority (CA) roles

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-cs/active-directory-certificate-services-overview

Topics

#Certificate Authority (CA)#Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)#Digital Certificates#Trust Management

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