Public Key Infrastructure
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a security architecture that has been introduced to provide an increasedlevel of confidence for exchanging information over an increasingly insecure Internet.
PKI may involve the use of methods, technologies and techniques that together provide a secure infrastructure. PKI involves the use of a public key and private key pair for authentication and proof of content. A PKI infrastructure is expected to offer its users the following benefits:
• certainty of the quality of information sent and received electronically
• certainty of the source and destination of that information
• assurance of the time and timing of that information (providing the source of time is known)
• certainty of the privacy of that information
• assurance that the information may be introduced as evidence in a court or law
These facilities are delivered using a mathematical technique called public key cryptography, which uses a pair of related cryptographic keys to verify the identity of the sender (signing) and/or to ensure privacy (encryption). How the Public Key Cryptography concept works
Public key cryptography uses a pair of mathematically related cryptographic keys. If one key is used to encrypt information, then only the related key can decrypt that information. Even if one of the keys is known, the other key cannot be easily calculated. Public key system consists of the following:
• A public key. This is something which is made public - it is freely distributed and can be seen by all users.
• A corresponding (and unique) private key. This is something that is kept secret - it is not shared amongst users. The private key enables its holder to prove his identity.
The Public Key used for Encryption
The sender of the message uses the receiver’s public encryption key to encrypt the confidential information. The receiver can provide his public key to the sender, or it can be retrieved from the directory
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a security architecture that has been introduced to provide an increasedlevel of confidence for exchanging information over an increasingly insecure Internet.
PKI may involve the use of methods, technologies and techniques that together provide a secure infrastructure. PKI involves the use of a public key and private key pair for authentication and proof of content. A PKI infrastructure is expected to offer its users the following benefits:
• certainty of the quality of information sent and received electronically
• certainty of the source and destination of that information
• assurance of the time and timing of that information (providing the source of time is known)
• certainty of the privacy of that information
• assurance that the information may be introduced as evidence in a court or law
These facilities are delivered using a mathematical technique called public key cryptography, which uses a pair of related cryptographic keys to verify the identity of the sender (signing) and/or to ensure privacy (encryption). How the Public Key Cryptography concept works
Public key cryptography uses a pair of mathematically related cryptographic keys. If one key is used to encrypt information, then only the related key can decrypt that information. Even if one of the keys is known, the other key cannot be easily calculated. Public key system consists of the following:
• A public key. This is something which is made public - it is freely distributed and can be seen by all users.
• A corresponding (and unique) private key. This is something that is kept secret - it is not shared amongst users. The private key enables its holder to prove his identity.
The Public Key used for Encryption
The sender of the message uses the receiver’s public encryption key to encrypt the confidential information. The receiver can provide his public key to the sender, or it can be retrieved from the directory