Question 36 from UPSC CSE 2020 - CURRENT AFFAIRS

Question

In India, the term 'Public Key Infrastructure' is used in the context of

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. Digital security infrastructure

Strategy: - Identify 'Public Key Infrastructure' (PKI) as specific to cyber and digital security.
- This is due to its association with cryptographic keys and authentication processes.
- Other contexts (food, health/education, telecom/transport) are unrelated to digital signatures or encryption.
- Therefore, select digital security infrastructure.

Key Info: Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a framework of policies, procedures, hardware, software, and people used to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates.

Central to PKI are cryptographic key pairs: one public and one private. PKI facilitates secure electronic transfer of information for activities such as e-commerce, internet banking, and confidential email by enabling digital signatures and implementing encryption for authentication, confidentiality, integrity, and non-repudiation.

The Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) in India regulates PKI-related digital certificate issuance under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Examples of PKI applications include e-signatures in government services, secure login processes, and SSL/TLS certificates for websites.

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Option B: Food security infrastructure

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Option C: Health care and education infrastructure

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Option D: Telecommunication and transportation infrastructure