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PKI
A Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) provides an enterprise with a security architecture to protect its communications and business transactions over a network or networks like the Internet. This architecture is a combination of software, hardware, encryption technologies and services integrated through public key cryptography, digital certificates and certificate authorities. There is no single PKI entity or an agreed-upon standard for setting up a PKI; therefore, a PKI can encompass a single company, be shared between two or more businesses or be based globally.
The most widely used PKI method is X.509 certificates, which uses a Certificate Authority (CA) to generate, sign, verify and in some cases revoke digital certificates. With a digital certificate, users and/or administrators can authenticate the identity of a message’s origin, verify the integrity of the message, prevent repudiation of signatures, and streamline security log-on to network resources.
Related terms:
Digital Certificate, Key, RSA, VPN Client, X.509
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