{"id":3129,"date":"2023-02-14T18:53:15","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T18:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/?p=3129"},"modified":"2023-02-14T18:53:23","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T18:53:23","slug":"pki-101-all-the-pki-basics-you-need-to-know-in-180-seconds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/pki-101-all-the-pki-basics-you-need-to-know-in-180-seconds\/","title":{"rendered":"PKI 101: All the PKI Basics You Need to Know in 180 Seconds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Set your watch \u2014 we\u2019ll cover all the PKI basics you didn\u2019t know you didn\u2019t know in less time than it takes to make a good cup of coffee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you recently made a purchase or shared other sensitive personal information with a website? If so, public key infrastructure likely had a hand in facilitating security for your internet transactions. Let\u2019s dive right into what you need to know about PKI basics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public Key Infrastructure Explained: What Is PKI? A Look at the Basics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Public key infrastructure<\/a> is the foundation of internet security and digital trust. It\u2019s the rules, technical processes, and technologies that make it possible to exchange data securely on the internet. It relies on the use of public key infrastructure, which uses asymmetric cryptography (i.e., public key cryptography) to protect sensitive data from unintended eyes. (More on asymmetric encryption is just a moment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encryption<\/a> is the process of taking plaintext (i.e., readable) data and turning it into something indecipherable without the use of a secret key. On the internet, this involves using digital certificates that are issued by third-party certificate authorities<\/a> (CAs). These publicly trusted entities must meet specific security standards to issue certificates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What PKI Helps You Do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At its core, PKI enables you to do three important things (we\u2019ll dive into the specifics of these more a little later):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Authenticate entities you\u2019ve never met<\/strong> (users, clients, servers, and other devices). The use of digital signatures helps you verify the other party\u2019s identity, so you know you\u2019re communicating with the right person or entity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Encrypt your data in transit<\/strong> (emails, files, and data transmissions). Public key encryption allows you to secure the data channel that you and the other party use to transmit data. This helps protect your data’s privacy and confidentiality by keeping it from prying eyes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Protect the integrity of your data<\/strong> (ensure no one secretly modifies data). Cryptographic hashes help you ensure that your data isn\u2019t tampered with in transit.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Fundamentals of PKI: Asymmetric Cryptography Protects Data on Insecure Networks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s take a closer look at PKI security fundamentals to understand how it\u2019s used to secure data on the internet. Asymmetric cryptography relies on a public-private keypair:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • The public key encrypts data, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • The private key decrypts it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      For you skimmers, here\u2019s a quick overview of PKI basics in video form:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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