Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) — Question 37

One of your executives needs to send an important and confidential email. You want to ensure that the message cannot be read by anyone but the recipient.
Which of the following keys should be used to encrypt the message?

Answer options

• A. Certificate authority key
• B. The recipient's private key
• C. The recipient's public key
• D. Your public key

Correct answer: C

Explanation

The correct answer is C, as the recipient's public key is used to encrypt the message, ensuring only the recipient can decrypt it with their private key. Option A is incorrect because a certificate authority key is used for verifying identities, not for encryption. Option B is wrong since the recipient's private key is meant for decryption, not encryption. Option D is also incorrect, as your public key would not allow the recipient to read the message.