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Difficulty: MediumPassword Security Policies, MFA, and Certificates

Match each Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) component or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) element on the left to its corresponding function or definition on the right.

  • Certificate Signing Request (CSR)A block of encoded text generated by an endpoint that includes its public key and subject metadata.
  • Certificate Authority (CA)An entity that digitally signs and issues identity certificates after verifying subject credentials.
  • Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP)A real-time protocol used to check the revocation status of a specific digital certificate.
  • Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP)A dynamic possession-based authentication factor derived from a shared secret key and the current time.

Answer

Certificate Signing Request (CSR) matches the encoded block containing a public key and metadata; Certificate Authority (CA) matches the entity issuing signed certificates; Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) matches the real-time revocation query protocol; Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP) matches the dynamic MFA factor generated using a shared secret and timestamp.
Each item accurately aligns with its standard PKI or security definition: CSR is the initial request containing public key and identity data, CA is the signing body, OCSP is the query protocol for checking revocation status, and TOTP is a time-synchronized dynamic multi-factor credential.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the role of a Certificate Signing Request (CSR).
Recognize that a CSR is created by the requester and contains the public key along with subject details destined for a CA.
CSR generation is the initial step in obtaining an X.509 digital certificate.
2
Identify the role of a Certificate Authority (CA).
Associate the CA with the trusted issuer that signs certificates.
The CA establishes trust in PKI by signing certificates with its own private key.
3
Differentiate between certificate validation protocols and authentication mechanisms.
Link OCSP to real-time revocation checks and TOTP to temporary time-based MFA factor generation.
OCSP provides efficient status checks over HTTP, whereas TOTP serves as a possession-based authentication factor.

Key Concept

PKI Components and MFA Authentication Factors
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Topics

Password Security Policies, MFA, and Certificates

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