(New page: {{stub}} A '''digital certificate''' is an electronic credential that can help verify the association between a public key and a specific entity. Category:Security [[Category:...) |
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A '''digital certificate''' is an electronic credential that can help |
A '''digital certificate''' is an electronic credential that can help |
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| − | verify the association between a [[public key]] and a specific entity. |
+ | verify the association between a [[public key]] and a specific entity. The most common use of digital certificates is to verify that a user sending a message is who he or she claims to be and to provide the receiver with a means to encode a reply. Certificates can be issued to computer equipment and processes as well as to individuals. |
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| + | For example, companies that do business over the [[Internet]] can obtain digital certificates for their [[computer server]]s. These certificates are used to [[authenticate]] the [[server]]s to potential customers, who can then rely on the [[server]]s to support the secure exchange of [[encrypt]]ed [[information]], such as [[password]]s and credit card numbers. |
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[[Category:Security]] |
[[Category:Security]] |
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Revision as of 22:44, 29 December 2007
A digital certificate is an electronic credential that can help
verify the association between a public key and a specific entity. The most common use of digital certificates is to verify that a user sending a message is who he or she claims to be and to provide the receiver with a means to encode a reply. Certificates can be issued to computer equipment and processes as well as to individuals.
For example, companies that do business over the Internet can obtain digital certificates for their computer servers. These certificates are used to authenticate the servers to potential customers, who can then rely on the servers to support the secure exchange of encrypted information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.