🎁 New User? Get 20% off your first purchase with code NEWUSER20 · ⚡ Instant download · 🔒 Secure checkout Register Now →
Menu

Categories

Security Advanced

What is PKI (Public Key Infrastructure)?

A framework of policies, hardware, and software for creating, managing, distributing, and revoking digital certificates.

PKI enables secure communication through digital certificates that bind public keys to identities. Certificate Authorities (CAs) issue certificates, Registration Authorities verify identities, and Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) track revoked certificates.

PKI underpins HTTPS, email encryption (S/MIME), code signing, VPNs, and document signing. Enterprise PKI manages internal certificates for servers, users, and devices. Let's Encrypt democratized PKI by offering free, automated DV certificates.

Related Terms

Supply Chain Attack
A cyberattack that targets less-secure elements in the software supply chain to compromise downstream users and organizations.
Webhook Signature Verification
A security mechanism that verifies webhook payloads are authentic and unmodified using cryptographic signatures.
Encryption
The process of converting readable data into an unreadable format using algorithms, reversible only with the correct key.
Security Audit
A systematic examination of an information system to assess compliance with security policies, identify vulnerabilities, and verify controls.
Firewall Rules
Configuration entries that define which network traffic is allowed or blocked based on source, destination, port, and protocol.
Session Hijacking
An attack where an adversary takes over a legitimate user session by stealing or predicting the session identifier.
 View All Security Terms →