Computer Science – 17.1 Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital Certificates | e-Consult
17.1 Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital Certificates (1 questions)
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The process of issuing a digital certificate involves several steps and the collaboration of different entities.
Issuance Process:
- Certificate Request: The entity requesting the certificate (the subject) generates a key pair (public and private key) and creates a Certificate Signing Request (CSR). The CSR contains the subject's public key and identifying information.
- Registration: The CSR is submitted to a Registration Authority (RA). The RA verifies the identity of the subject. This may involve checking documentation and verifying ownership of the domain name.
- Certificate Signing: If the RA verifies the subject's identity, it forwards the CSR to the Certificate Authority (CA).
- Certificate Generation: The CA verifies the RA's attestation and then uses its private key to digitally sign the CSR, creating the digital certificate. The certificate includes the subject's public key, identifying information, and the CA's digital signature.
- Certificate Distribution: The CA distributes the signed certificate to the subject.
Roles of Entities:
- Certificate Authority (CA): A trusted third party that issues and manages digital certificates. The CA maintains a list of trusted public keys.
- Registration Authority (RA): Verifies the identity of entities requesting certificates. Acts as an intermediary between the subject and the CA.
Private Key Management: The private key must be kept strictly confidential and securely stored. Compromise of the private key allows an attacker to forge signatures and impersonate the certificate holder. Secure storage methods include hardware security modules (HSMs) or secure enclaves.