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Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

A framework for managing digital keys and certificates to ensure secure communication and identity verification.

Description

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a comprehensive system that enables secure communication and identity verification through the use of cryptographic keys and digital certificates. In the context of Non-Human Identities (NHIs), PKI plays a crucial role in authenticating and authorizing devices, applications, and services that operate autonomously in various environments. NHIs, such as IoT devices, software agents, and digital services, often require robust identity management to ensure secure interactions within networks. PKI facilitates this by providing mechanisms for issuing, managing, and revoking digital certificates, which serve as proof of identity for NHIs. Each NHI can possess a unique public-private key pair, where the private key remains confidential to the entity and the public key is disseminated widely. This allows NHIs to securely communicate and establish trust relationships with other entities, enabling secure transactions and data exchanges. As the adoption of NHIs increases, particularly in sectors like healthcare, finance, and smart cities, the importance of PKI in safeguarding these identities and facilitating secure operations becomes ever more critical.

Examples

  • Smart home devices using PKI to authenticate with a central server.
  • Autonomous vehicles verifying the identity of other vehicles and infrastructure.

Additional Information

  • PKI is essential for enabling secure communication in cloud services.
  • The management of certificates for NHIs can be automated to scale with the number of devices.

References