PKI — Public Key Infrastructure
Definition
A framework of policies, procedures, hardware, and software for creating, managing, distributing, and revoking digital certificates and public keys.
Context & Usage
PKI enables encryption, digital signatures, and identity verification. Components: Certificate Authority (CA), Registration Authority (RA), Certificate Revocation List (CRL), OCSP responder. Public PKI examples: Let's Encrypt, DigiCert, Sectigo. Private PKI: Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services, OpenSSL-based internal CAs.
Examples
- Microsoft AD CS for enterprise PKI
- Let's Encrypt for public HTTPS certificates
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