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Certificate Metadata Structure

A digital certificate acts as a digital passport that associates a public key with an identity.^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md] The composition of a certificate can be defined by the following equation^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md]:

Certificate = Public Key + Metadata

Components

The Metadata component encapsulates the administrative and cryptographic information necessary to validate and manage the certificate.^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md] This includes, but is not limited to^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md]:

  • Fingerprint: A unique identifier derived from the certificate content.
  • Signature (CA): The Digital Signature issued by the Certificate Authority (CA).
  • Serial Number: A unique serial number assigned to the certificate.
  • Validity Period: The specific dates defining when the certificate is valid.
  • Registered User: Information regarding the entity or user to whom the certificate is issued.

Sources

^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md]