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Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Software Engineering
Product Development

Overview

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a framework of policies, technologies, and procedures used to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates and public keys.

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Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is an essential framework in modern digital security that ensures secure electronic transfer of information. It operates by using a pair of cryptographic keys: a public key, which can be shared openly, and a private key, which is kept secret. The PKI framework encompasses the creation, management, distribution, and revocation of these keys and the digital certificates that bind them to specific entities or individuals.

The primary purpose of PKI is to facilitate secure communication and authentication over networks, especially the Internet. By leveraging digital certificates, PKI helps verify the identity of parties involved in a communication, ensuring that data is encrypted and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. This system is crucial in various applications such as email encryption, secure web browsing (HTTPS), and digital signatures.

Key Management

Key management is a critical aspect of PKI. It involves the generation, exchange, storage, use, and replacement of cryptographic keys. Effective key management ensures that keys are kept secure and available to authorized users, which is fundamental to maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of the PKI system.

Public Key Cryptography

Public Key Cryptography underpins the entire PKI framework. It uses asymmetric key pairs (public and private keys) to facilitate encryption and decryption. The public key can be widely distributed without compromising security, while the private key remains confidential to ensure secure communications.

Certificate Authorities (CA) and Registration Authorities (RA)

Certificate Authorities (CAs) and Registration Authorities (RAs) are integral components of PKI. A CA is responsible for issuing and revoking digital certificates, while an RA acts as a verifier of the entity requesting the certificate, ensuring they are legitimate before the CA issues the certificate. Together, they help maintain the trust chain within PKI.

Digital Certificates

Digital certificates are electronic documents used to prove the ownership of a public key. They contain information about the key, the owner's identity, and the digital signature of the CA that issued the certificate. Digital certificates are essential for authenticating entities and establishing secure communications.

Certificate Revocation List (CRL)

A Certificate Revocation List (CRL) is a list of certificates that have been revoked by the CA before their expiration date. The CRL ensures that compromised or invalid certificates are no longer trusted, helping to maintain the security of the PKI system.

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