What does public key infrastructure (PKI) manage?

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is fundamentally designed to manage digital certificates and public-key encryption. This technology forms the backbone of secure communications and transactions over the internet.

By utilizing asymmetrical cryptography, PKI enables users to securely exchange information and authenticate identities. Digital certificates serve to confirm that a public key belongs to a specific individual or entity, effectively binding the public key to the identity of the certificate holder. This ensures that users can trust the origin of the public key, which is crucial when establishing secure channels for data transmission.

The role of PKI extends to managing the lifecycle of digital certificates, which includes their issuance, renewal, suspension, and revocation. This lifecycle management is essential to ensure that any user’s keys remain valid and trustworthy, especially in environments where security is paramount.

While options related to firewall configurations, network security protocols, and user authentication processes play significant roles in an organization's overall security posture, they do not encapsulate the primary functions of PKI as directly as digital certificates and public-key encryption do. Therefore, the emphasis on managing these specific elements marks option A as the most accurate and relevant choice regarding PKI.