Which of the following best describes the process of key recovery?

Key recovery refers to the process of restoring lost or inaccessible cryptographic keys that are essential for decrypting data or authenticating users within an organization. This process is critical in maintaining access to encrypted information, ensuring that data integrity and confidentiality are upheld even when keys are lost due to user error or technical issues.

When keys are lost or become inaccessible, an organization might face significant challenges in accessing data or maintaining secure communications. Therefore, having a structured key recovery process enables organizations to mitigate risks associated with lost keys. This may involve using backup keys, employing cryptographic hardware that allows for key archiving, or utilizing trusted third-party key recovery systems.

In contrast, replacing old keys with new ones pertains to key rotation rather than recovery. Revoking compromised keys involves a different aspect of key management aimed at maintaining security by limiting the use of keys that might have been exposed. Creating backups for certificates applies to maintaining digital certificate availability but does not directly relate to the restoration of keys themselves. Thus, the definition of key recovery focuses specifically on the restoration aspect, making it the best description among the choices.