Digital Certificates — Part 1
Introduction
Digital Certificates are an important part of secure communication on the internet, and understanding how they work can be helpful for anyone who uses websites or online services. In this blog post, we’ll cover the basics of certificates, including what they are, how they work, and the different types of certificates that exist.
What is a Digital Certificate?
A certificate is a digital document that is used to verify the identity of a website or online service. It contains information about the owner of the certificate, the entity that issued the certificate, and other relevant details. When a website or online service presents a certificate to a user’s browser, it allows the user to verify that the website or service is legitimate and that any data that is transmitted between the user and the website is secure.
How Digital Certificates Work?
Certificates work by using a combination of public key encryption and digital signatures. When a website or online service applies for a certificate, it provides some basic information about itself, such as its name and contact details. This information is then verified by a certificate authority (CA), which is a trusted third party that issues certificates.