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Digital Certificate

A Digital Certificate is a data structure that binds a public key to an identity, verified by a trusted authority.^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md] It functions cryptographically as the combination of a public key and specific metadata.^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md]

Composition

The certificate consists of two main components: the cryptographic public key and associated metadata.^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md]

The metadata included in the certificate typically contains:

  • Fingerprint / Signature: Used to verify the authenticity of the certificate.
  • Certificate Authority (CA): Information about the issuer of the certificate.
  • Serial Number: A unique identifier for the certificate.
  • Validity Period: The dates during which the certificate is valid.
  • Registered User: The subject or entity to which the certificate is issued.
  • [[Public Key Infrastructure]]
  • [[Cryptography]]
  • [[Authentication]]

Sources

^[600-developer__tools__security__certificate.md]