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In this digital age in which we now live and thrive, businesses have a wide variety of challenges to deal with on a regular basis. Moreover, with 2020 being the year of the pandemic, more and more companies are implementing various facets of their day-to-day tasks online. This has created a unique challenge when it comes to sensitive information and the protection of digital identities. Thankfully, pki (Public Key Infrastructure) is one of the various tools that is available in the online workplace today, and it would be well worth any size business to invest some time learning about this product and how to best use it in your specific situation.
PKI Defined
More than likely, you either have heard about PKI and wondered what it is, and so the first thing we need to do is actually discover what this product actually is and how it functions in the workplace. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is an encryption technology that uses a three-pronged approach to digital security. PKI protects the contents of the message, keeps it from “middle-man” attacks, and authenticates both sides of the communication. This is the perfect technology to utilize when sending private messages, storing personal information, signing documents digitally and more. This is something that has become essential in the world of e-commerce, and businesses should seriously consider investing in PKI for all their digital business needs.
PKI Implementation
Now that you understand what PKI, it is time for you to actually use it within your organization. As you work to implement it into the infrastructure, it is important to recognize and understand the different parts of the PKI.
- Public Key or Digital Certificate
Just like a personal ID (such as a driver’s license of a passport) in the real world, a digital certificate can accomplish almost the same thing in the virtual world. The only real difference (in addition to it being digital instead of physical) is that these certificates can be issues to a computer or some other device, not just a person. These certificates are available to whatever or whomever needs to prove identity in the electronic world.
- Certifying Authority
This is what actually issues that digital certificate to the necessary party, and it is responsible for publishing, verifying and revoking the certificate–whatever is needed. If the CA (certifying party) is not trustworthy or has been compromised, the entire system will probably come into question. There are different classes of CA’s, and sometimes they will even utilize third-party registration authorities (RA’s) to confirm the identity of the person or device in question.
The complexity of this encryption system can be overwhelming when first examined, but as the company grows accustomed to using the various features at their disposal, it can give everyone peace of mind that this particular business or agency is trustworthy and secure. In a world where scams and cyber attacks happen all too frequently, PKI is an essential part of every business’ tool belt.
