What is the typical lifecycle for key management in a Link 16 net?

What is the typical lifecycle for key management in a Link 16 net?

• A. Key generation, distribution to crypto devices, loading into hardware, rotation, and revocation as needed.
• B. Key generation and immediate destruction.
• C. Manual sharing of keys via email.
• D. Keys loaded once and never changed.

Answer: (A)

Key management in a Link 16 net follows a lifecycle that keeps cryptographic material secure and usable over time. Keys are generated with proper security controls, then distributed to the crypto devices at each terminal so every node has the same trusted material. After distribution, the keys are loaded into the hardware crypto devices, ensuring the encryption process uses authenticated, tamper-resistant material resident in the devices themselves. To maintain security, keys are rotated on a schedule or in response to events that could indicate exposure, limiting how long a single key protects traffic. If a key or device is compromised or decommissioned, revocation occurs so that the affected material is invalidated and removed from the network. This sequence—generation, secure distribution to crypto devices, loading into hardware, rotation, and revocation—as a continuous lifecycle best reflects real-world Link 16 key management. The other options fail because immediate destruction after generation eliminates usable keys, sharing keys via email is insecure, and loading keys once with no changes ignores the need to refresh and revoke over time.

Key management in a Link 16 net follows a lifecycle that keeps cryptographic material secure and usable over time. Keys are generated with proper security controls, then distributed to the crypto devices at each terminal so every node has the same trusted material. After distribution, the keys are loaded into the hardware crypto devices, ensuring the encryption process uses authenticated, tamper-resistant material resident in the devices themselves. To maintain security, keys are rotated on a schedule or in response to events that could indicate exposure, limiting how long a single key protects traffic. If a key or device is compromised or decommissioned, revocation occurs so that the affected material is invalidated and removed from the network.

This sequence—generation, secure distribution to crypto devices, loading into hardware, rotation, and revocation—as a continuous lifecycle best reflects real-world Link 16 key management. The other options fail because immediate destruction after generation eliminates usable keys, sharing keys via email is insecure, and loading keys once with no changes ignores the need to refresh and revoke over time.