PKI Description
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a system that validates a
user's digital identity over a public or private network by
associating a pair of public and private keys with their
individual identity credentials. These keys are created with a
cryptographic algorithm and shared by a certificate authority
(CA) that binds them with the user's unique identity. The CA
stores this information in a database and issues digital
certificates, which include the public key or information about
the public key, in order to verify the user's identity. PKI
solutions use public and private keys and their certificates
with software applications, encryption technologies, processes
and services to enable secure communication and business
transactions. In PKI systems, the private key is maintained by
the end user and the public key is available as part of a
digital certificate in a directory that can be freely accessed.
The private key remains secure and is not transmitted over the
network. It is used to:
- Authenticate - for certificate-based authentication, the
private key is used to generate a digital certificate that is
sent to an authentication server. When it is received, the
certificate is decrypted with the user's public key to validate
the logon credentials.
- Encrypt - a message or document can be encrypted with the
intended recipient's public key that is obtained from a public
directory and sent. Only the intended recipient can decrypt the
information with his or her matching private key.
- Digitally sign - a digital signature for a message, document
or transaction is created with the user's private key, encrypted
and attached to the signed contents. When the contents are
received, the signature is decrypted with the user's public key
to validate the originator of the signed contents.
- This technology offers a range of security features for the
enterprise, including authenticity, confidentiality and non-repudiation.
PKI applications for end-users include network and workstation
logon, secure remote access, single sign-on, email encryption,
secure data storage, digital signatures and secure online
transactions.
More info:
http://www.pki-page.org/
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