iSACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certification Practice Exam

What is the function of a Registration Authority (RA)?

1. To create digital certificates

2. To validate an entity's identity and key ownership

3. To authenticate transactions between parties

4. To manage firewall settings

The correct answer is: To validate an entity's identity and key ownership

The function of a Registration Authority (RA) centers on validating an entity's identity and verifying key ownership. This role is crucial within the public key infrastructure (PKI) framework, where the RA acts as a trusted entity that can facilitate the issuance of digital certificates. When an entity requests a digital certificate, the RA is responsible for ensuring that the entity is indeed who it claims to be, often through various means of identification or credential checks. Once the RA has validated the identity and connection to the cryptographic keys, it can allow the subsequent issuing of a digital certificate by the certificate authority (CA). This step is vital to establishing trust and ensuring that users can rely on the authenticity of the certificates issued. In contrast, the other functions mentioned do not align with the primary role of a Registration Authority. Creating digital certificates is a responsibility of the certificate authority, and authenticating transactions between parties does involve the use of digital certificates but is not directly linked to the RA's responsibilities. Managing firewall settings falls entirely outside of the RA's purview, as it does not deal with establishing identities but rather with network security.