# Certificate
#cyber-security #security #encryption
Also known as a digital certificate or identity certificate, is an electronic document used to prove the validity of a public key usually issued by a public Certificate Authority. It includes info on the owner, key, and the digital signature of the issuer. The key can be used to communicate securely with the certificate’s subject if the software examining the certificate agrees and the signature is valid.
From Wikipedia :
In email encryption, code signing, and e-signature systems, a certificate’s subject is typically a person or organization. However, in Transport Layer Security (TLS) a certificate’s subject is typically a computer or other device, though TLS certificates may identify organizations or individuals in addition to their core role in identifying devices. TLS, sometimes called by its older name Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), is notable for being a part of HTTPS, a protocol for securely browsing the web.
There are many types of certificates: