Definition:
A digital certificate is an electronic document used to prove the ownership of a public key. It is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) and binds the public key to the identity of the key owner.
Use Cases:
- Used in Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols to secure web communications.
- Employed in digital signatures to verify the authenticity of documents and messages.
Related Terms:
Questions and Answers:
- What is the role of a digital certificate in web security?
A digital certificate verifies the authenticity of a website or server, ensuring that users are communicating with the intended party over a secure connection.
- How is a digital certificate issued?
A Certificate Authority (CA) issues a digital certificate after verifying the identity of the requester and their public key.
- What are the risks if a digital certificate is compromised?
If compromised, a malicious actor could impersonate the certificate owner, intercepting sensitive data or launching man-in-the-middle attacks.