digital certificate
<communications, security> An attachment to an electronic mail message
used for security purposes, e.g. to verify that a user sending a message is who
he or she claims to be, and to provide the receiver with the means to encode a
reply.
An individual wishing to send an encrypted message applies for a digital
certificate from a certificate authority (CA). The CA issues an encrypted
digital certificate containing the applicant's public key and a variety of other
identification information. The CA makes its own public key readily available on
the Internet.
The recipient of an encrypted message uses the CA's public key to decode the
digital certificate attached to the message, verifies it as issued by the CA and
then obtains the sender's public key and identification information held within
the certificate.
(2006-05-27)
Nearby terms:
Digital Audio Tape « digital camera « digital
carrier «
digital certificate » digital computer » Digital
Control System » digital dashboard
|
