Overview
Getting started with certificate management
Welcome to the Certificate Management User Guide. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of acquiring, deploying, and maintaining digital certificates, ensuring the security and integrity of your online interactions, data transmission, and identity verification. Certificate management encompasses tasks like generating certificates, renewing or revoking them, configuring trust relationships, and monitoring their validity
Before you begin
An SSL certificate, which stands for Secure Socket Layer certificate, is a digital certificate that provides a secure and encrypted connection between a user's web browser and a web server. It ensures that data transmitted between the two parties remains private and cannot be easily intercepted or tampered with by malicious actors.
Here's a brief explanation of how SSL certificates work:
Encryption: When a user visits a website secured with an SSL certificate (usually indicated by a padlock icon in the browser's address bar), their browser and the web server establish an encrypted connection. This encryption prevents unauthorized access to the information being exchanged, such as login credentials, payment details, and personal data.
Authentication: SSL certificates also serve to authenticate the identity of the website's owner. They are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) after verifying the legitimacy of the website's domain and owner. This helps users trust that they are indeed communicating with a legitimate website and not a fraudulent one.
Data Integrity: SSL certificates ensure that data exchanged between the user's browser and the web server remains intact and unchanged during transmission. This prevents data from being altered or tampered with by third parties.
Trust and Security: SSL certificates enhance user trust by displaying visual cues, such as the padlock icon or the website's URL beginning with "https://" instead of "http://". These cues indicate that the website takes security seriously and is using encryption to protect user data.
In summary, SSL certificates play a vital role in securing online communication, protecting sensitive information, and establishing trust between users and websites. They are especially important for websites that handle sensitive data, such as e-commerce sites, online banking platforms, and any website where user privacy and security are paramount