Which of the following is a component of the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)?

A key component of the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is digital certificates. Digital certificates serve as a foundational element in PKI because they are used to establish the identity of individuals or organizations and to facilitate secure communications over networks. These certificates contain a public key and the digital signature of a certificate authority (CA), confirming the authenticity of the key owner. This allows users to confirm the identity of the entity they are communicating with, ensuring that the data exchanged is secure.

The purpose of digital certificates is integral to the framework of PKI, enabling encryption, authentication, and integrity verification. They help in establishing trust between users and services, which is essential in environments where sensitive information is transmitted, such as financial transactions, healthcare data exchanges, and confidential communications. The functioning of PKI heavily relies on these certificates, thus highlighting their critical role within the infrastructure.