In terms of cybersecurity, what can a 'trusted third party' also be referred to as?

A 'trusted third party' in cybersecurity is primarily referred to as a Certificate Authority (CA). A Certificate Authority is responsible for issuing digital certificates that validate the identity of entities in secure communications, such as websites and online services. By verifying the legitimacy of these entities, a CA helps establish trust in online transactions.

In the context of public key infrastructure (PKI), a CA ensures that the public keys contained in the digital certificates belong to the correct individual or organization. This is vital for enabling secure communication over the internet, as it helps prevent impersonation and man-in-the-middle attacks.

While various roles exist in cybersecurity, such as system administrators who manage systems, verification agencies that might perform audits or checks, and data handlers who focus on managing data, none of these specifically embody the function of a trusted third party in the way that a Certificate Authority does. A CA plays a critical role in establishing and maintaining trust within digital communications, making it the correct reference for a 'trusted third party' in this scenario.