CompTIA PenTest+ Practice Test

What is a Base64 ASCII file generated on a device that contains information for the certificate authority?

1. Certificate signing request (CSR)

2. Public key file

3. Encrypted certificate

4. Digital signature request

The correct answer is: Certificate signing request (CSR)

A Base64 ASCII file generated on a device that contains information for the certificate authority is known as a Certificate Signing Request (CSR). A CSR is specifically designed to encapsulate information such as the public key and details about the entity requesting the certificate, including organizational information and domain name. This request is then sent to a Certificate Authority (CA) for processing. The format of the CSR is typically Base64 encoded so that it can easily be transmitted in a textual format over the internet or through email. The CA uses the CSR to generate a digital certificate, which proves the identity of the requesting entity and ties the public key contained in the CSR to that identity. In contrast, a public key file generally doesn't encapsulate other entity information necessary for certificate generation and is more focused on the key itself. An encrypted certificate refers to the final product that is issued by the CA and is not generated directly by the user. A digital signature request is not a standard term related to the process of obtaining a digital certificate. Therefore, the context of a CSR aligns perfectly with the question, making it the correct choice.