PKI Explained: What is Public Key Infrastructure? | Secure Communication & Authentication

PKI stands for Public Key Infrastructure. It's a system that enables secure communication and authentication over a network through the use of cryptographic keys.

In a PKI system, each user is assigned a pair of cryptographic keys - a public key and a private key. The public key is freely distributed and used to encrypt messages, while the private key is kept secret and used to decrypt messages.

PKI relies on a trusted third party called a Certificate Authority (CA) to verify the authenticity of users' public keys. The CA issues digital certificates that bind a user's identity to their public key. These certificates are digitally signed by the CA, providing a trusted means of verifying the authenticity of the public key.

PKI is widely used in various applications, including secure email communication, digital signatures, and secure online transactions. It provides a robust and scalable framework for ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and authentication in the digital world.