Understanding Public Key Infrastructure Certificates

Understanding Public Key Infrastructure Certificates

This article will discuss the building blocks of PKI certificates and how they work. We will also explore some common PKI certificate issues and solutions. By understanding the basics of PKI certificates, you can make your website more secure for your users!

What is PKI Certificate?

A PKI certificate is a digital certificate that uses public-key cryptography for security. The certificate contains information about the owner, such as the name, address, and email address.

It also contains a public key and a private key. The private key is used to sign or encrypt data, while the public key is used to verify the signature or decrypt the data. PKI certificates are used to secure communications between two parties, including a website and a user.

PKI Certificate Basics

Before we delve into the nitty-gritty of PKI certificates, let’s review some basics. PKI stands for Public Key Infrastructure. It is a system of digital certificates, public keys, and private keys that is used to secure communications. PKI certificates are issued by a Certificate Authority (CA). A CA is an organization that administers and manages PKI certificates.

There are two types of PKI certificates, Self-Signed Certificate and Certificate Signing Request (CSR).

A self-signed certificate is a PKI certificate signed by the owner of the certificate. Self-signed certificates are not as secure as PKI certificates signed by a CA.