A certification authority is a special type of system used to create and distribute digital certificates. When choosing a CA system, you will want to pick one which is suitable for your size organization. You will also want a system which is trusted by other businesses and organizations, not only in your country, but around the world. This will make issuing and using certificates easier when you work on a global basis.

Picking Out the Right Type of Certification Authority for Your Business

Accessing network resources when outside your place of business is possible with the correct type of virtual private network (VPN). There are different types of VPNs in use, which are influenced by the actual location of the network you need to access. For example, networks contained within the United Kingdom require using a UK VPN connection.

How Is a UK VPN Connection Different From Other VPN Connections?

A PKI certificate is just one type of digital certificate in use today. Certificates made following public key infrastructure formats allow certificates to be used and shared among multiple users. Each public certificate is identical and will allow access to the resources it is designed to provide. It is important when distributing public certificates to not get them mixed up with your private certificates. Private certificates are used by only one individual or business and should never be shared freely.

How Do You Distinguish One PKI Certificate from Another?

Public key cryptography is a process used by a certificate authority system to create digital certificates for public distribution. There are all types of certificates in use, which help to create secure connections over the internet. It is normal for common types of public certificates to be preinstalled on new computers by the manufacturer, or contained within the operating system. In addition to these types, you can also obtain certificates directly from various businesses, such as your bank or credit union.

Public Key Cryptography Allows You to Set Expiration Dates

Gaining access to multiple resources and applications within your organization may be accomplished through single sign on. This type of authentication stores the user’s name and password, after they enter it a single time. Whenever a user accesses a secure resource, their system automatically authenticates with the resource and grants them access. The user is not prompted for their user name or password, as the system handles authentication in the background.

Advantages for Using Single Sign on Authentication Also Carry a Security Risk

The term PKI can be applied in different ways, depending on its exact purpose and meaning. It is the abbreviated form of public key infrastructure and can refer to the basis as to how digital signatures are created within digital certificates. The term can also apply to a special type of system, called a certificate authority or CA, which is needed to create such certificates.

PKI Requires Using a CA System and Following Standards

Understanding whether a digital signature is secure is important, when replacing traditional authentication methods. You will want to make sure your organization is protected from security risks. Some general concerns you may have are how easily it is to alter signatures, or for unauthorized users to apply signatures. These are valid concerns, but organizations do not have to worry, when following various protocols which increase security.

Steps You Can Take to Increase Security of a Digital Signature

When you are creating digital certificates, you do not have to follow the X509 standards. However, you need to be aware of the implications and effects not following the standard will have on your organization. First, you will not be able to easily share certificates for multiple purposes. Next, you will have to supply a large amount of certificates to external users, as their existing certificates will be incompatible with your own type. Not following standards can be costly, as well as create many redundancies.

Advantages to Following X509 Certificate Standards

The use of a digital signature is not restricted to organizations within your own country. This type of signature can be used by any organization, throughout the world, to speed up business transactions. It allows important documents to be signed, and cuts down on having to travel and meet face-to-face. Once the signature is applied, it is the same as using a wax seal, notary public, or other traditional method for authenticating paper documents.

A Digital Signature Requires Creating Two Types of Digital Certificates

The types of digital certificates created by a certificate authority will depend on how they will be used. You could use a CA system to create digital certificates containing digital signatures. You will need to create individual certificates for each user needing to use a secure electronic signature to sign different types of electronic documents and forms. Users, who do not have a digital certificate with their digital signature, will not be able to securely sign and encrypt documents.

A Certificate Authority Creates Digital Certificates for Use with SSL Systems