Acmetek G
raman Staff answered 10 months ago
PKI stands for Public Key Infrastructure. It is a framework that consists of hardware, software, policies, and standards used to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates and public-private key pairs. PKI is primarily used to secure communication over networks, such as the internet, by providing encryption, authentication, and data integrity.
Here’s how PKI enhances website security:
Encryption: PKI enables the use of asymmetric encryption, where each party has a pair of keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is freely distributed and used for encryption, while the private key is kept secret and used for decryption. With PKI, website traffic can be encrypted using SSL/TLS protocols, ensuring that data transmitted between the website and the user’s browser remains confidential.
Authentication: PKI facilitates strong authentication mechanisms. Digital certificates issued by trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs) bind an entity’s identity (such as a website or organization) to its public key. When a user accesses a website secured with PKI, their browser verifies the website’s digital certificate to ensure it is genuine and issued by a trusted CA. This helps prevent impersonation and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Integrity: PKI ensures data integrity by providing digital signatures. A digital signature is created using the sender’s private key and attached to the data being transmitted. The recipient can verify the signature using the sender’s public key to ensure that the data has not been tampered with during transmission.
Trust: PKI relies on a hierarchical trust model. Certificate Authorities (CAs) are trusted third-party entities responsible for issuing digital certificates. Web browsers and operating systems come pre-installed with a list of trusted root CAs. When a website presents a digital certificate signed by a trusted CA, the browser automatically trusts it, establishing a chain of trust.
Revocation: PKI allows for the revocation of digital certificates in case they are compromised or no longer valid. Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) and Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) are used to check the status of digital certificates and ensure that revoked certificates are not trusted.
Overall, PKI plays a crucial role in enhancing website security by providing encryption, authentication, data integrity, trust, and certificate revocation mechanisms. It helps create a secure and trusted environment for online transactions and communication.
Freelancers Hub Canada Staff answered 10 months ago
PKI stands for Public Key Infrastructure, and it is a framework of hardware, software, policies, and procedures used to manage digital certificates and public-private key pairs. PKI enables secure communication and authentication over insecure networks such as the internet.
Here’s how it works and how it enhances website security:
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- Encryption: PKI utilizes asymmetric encryption, where each user has a pair of cryptographic keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is freely available and used for encryption, while the private key is kept secret and used for decryption. When a user accesses a website secured with PKI, the website’s public key encrypts the data being sent from the user’s browser, ensuring that only the website’s private key can decrypt and access the information.
- Authentication: PKI enables authentication of both the website and the user. Websites use digital certificates, which are issued by trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs), to prove their authenticity. These certificates contain the website’s public key and are signed by the CA, providing assurance to users that they are interacting with a legitimate website and not a malicious entity impersonating the site. Similarly, users can authenticate themselves to websites using digital certificates, enhancing security in online transactions and communications.
- Data Integrity: PKI ensures data integrity by using digital signatures to verify the authenticity and integrity of transmitted data. When data is digitally signed using a private key, the recipient can use the corresponding public key to verify that the data has not been altered during transmission and that it indeed originated from the purported sender.
- Secure Communication: PKI facilitates secure communication between clients and servers by establishing encrypted channels using protocols such as HTTPS (HTTP Secure). HTTPS encrypts data transmitted between the user’s browser and the website server, preventing eavesdropping, tampering, and man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Trust Hierarchy: PKI relies on a trust hierarchy, where CAs issue digital certificates and vouch for the authenticity of entities such as websites, organizations, and individuals. Web browsers and operating systems come pre-installed with a list of trusted root CAs, allowing them to verify the authenticity of digital certificates presented by websites during SSL/TLS handshake.
Overall, PKI enhances website security by encrypting data, authenticating entities, ensuring data integrity, and establishing secure communication channels. It plays a crucial role in safeguarding sensitive information and protecting against various cyber threats on the internet.