CompTIA Security+ (SY0-601) — Question 255

A third party asked a user to share a public key for secure communication. Which of the following file formats should the user choose to share the key?

Answer options

• A. .pfx
• B. .csr
• C. .pvk
• D. .cer

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is .cer, which is a standard format for sharing public keys as it encodes the key in a certificate format. The other options are not suitable for sharing public keys: .pfx is used for private keys and certificates, .csr is for Certificate Signing Requests, and .pvk is for private key storage.