200-201 Question 158
Select 2An organization implements a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to secure communication between its internal web servers and user devices. During an incident investigation, a security analyst discovers that some users are receiving browser warnings about the web server's certificate. What could be a potential reason for this security issue?
- A
The certificate has expired.
- B
The web server is using a private IP address.
- C
The certificate is signed by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is not trusted by the user's device.
- D
The certificate uses a key length that is greater than 2048 bits.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: A, C
Explanation
Certificates play a vital role in securing communication by enabling encryption and authentication. An expired certificate or one issued by an untrusted CA can lead to browser warnings, as these factors undermine the trustworthiness of the certificate. Security analysts must ensure that certificates are valid and issued by trusted authorities to prevent such issues.
- A. Correct.
If a certificate has expired, it is no longer considered valid, and browsers will display warnings to users.
- B. Incorrect.
Using a private IP address does not directly impact the validity of the certificate itself, as certificates are tied to domain names or specific IP addresses.
- C. Correct.
If the certificate is signed by a CA that is not trusted by the user's device, the browser will warn the user because it cannot verify the identity of the web server.
- D. Incorrect.
Using a key length greater than 2048 bits does not cause browser warnings. Key lengths longer than 2048 bits are considered secure and acceptable.