A Digital Certificate is an electronic document used to prove ownership of a public key. It is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) and is used to establish trust in online communications, ensuring that data is exchanged securely between parties.
🔹 Key Components of a Digital Certificate:
- Public Key – The cryptographic key used for encryption and verifying digital signatures.
- Certificate Holder’s Identity – Includes the name, email, organization, and other details.
- Issuer (Certificate Authority – CA) – The trusted entity that issued the certificate.
- Serial Number – A unique identifier for the certificate.
- Expiration Date – The validity period of the certificate.
- Digital Signature – A cryptographic signature from the CA to validate authenticity.
🔹 How Digital Certificates Work:
- Certificate Issuance – A user or organization requests a certificate from a CA.
- Verification by CA – The CA verifies the identity before issuing the certificate.
- Certificate Usage – The certificate is used for secure communication (e.g., SSL/TLS encryption).
- Validation by Clients – Web browsers or applications check if the certificate is valid and issued by a trusted CA.
