| How Digital Encryption and Digital Certificates
Work
Public Key Encryption
Public Key encryption is a cryptographic system that uses two keys -- a
public key known to everyone (but still associated with the owner) and a
private or secret key known only to the recipient of the message, or a
designated owner. These key pairs have a unique feature in that data
encrypted with one key can be decrypted with the other key in the pair.
The keys can be used in two ways: to provide message confidentiality and
to prove authenticity of a message's sender. As a merchant the safest
way to distribute your public key to your correspondents, or customers,
is through a CA. (Certificate Authorities are
trusted third-party organizations or companies that issue digital
certificates, digital signatures and public-private key pairs. For
e-businesses, these certificates can serve as validation that a company
is who they claim to be, and not an imposter.). The CA will serve as
a repository of digital certificates, and potential customers can
request verification of your public key from a CA. Digital certificates
usually include the holder's name, name of the CA, a public key, a time
limit for the use of the certificate, the class of the certificate, and
an identification number. Your "private key" is installed on
your server; nobody else has access to it.
Where Do I Get a Digital Certificate?
There are several companies and organizations that issue
digital certificates. A few of the more well known ones include:
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