Description: Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a set of roles, policies, hardware, software, and procedures necessary to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates. These certificates are essential for establishing the identity of users and devices in a digital environment, enabling secure communication and authentication. Key components of a PKI include the Certificate Authority (CA), which issues and manages certificates; the Registration Authority (RA), which verifies the identity of certificate applicants; and certificate repositories, where issued certificates are stored and can be queried. Additionally, PKI encompasses security policies that define how certificates and cryptographic keys should be handled, as well as procedures for revoking certificates that are no longer valid. PKI is fundamental in implementing security protocols such as SSL/TLS, which protect online communications, and in the digital signing of documents, ensuring the integrity and authenticity of information. In summary, PKI provides the necessary infrastructure for trust in digital transactions, ensuring that the parties involved can verify the identity and integrity of the exchanged data.
