Usage Examples
PKIs of one type or another, and from any of several vendors, have many uses, including providing public keys and bindings to user identities which are used for:
- Encryption and/or sender authentication of e-mail messages (e.g., using OpenPGP or S/MIME).
- Encryption and/or authentication of documents (e.g., the XML Signature or XML Encryption standards if documents are encoded as XML).
- Authentication of users to applications (e.g., smart card logon, client authentication with SSL). There's experimental usage for digitally signed HTTP authentication in the Enigform and mod_openpgp projects.
- Bootstrapping secure communication protocols, such as Internet key exchange (IKE) and SSL. In both of these, initial set-up of a secure channel (a "security association") uses asymmetric key (a.k.a. public-key) methods, whereas actual communication uses faster symmetric key (a.k.a. secret key) methods.
- Mobile signatures are electronic signatures that are created using a mobile device and rely on signature or certification services in a location independent telecommunication environment.
- Universal Metering Interface (UMI) an open standard, originally created by Cambridge Consultants for use in Smart Metering devices/systems and home automation, uses a PKI infrastructure for security.
Read more about this topic: Public-key Infrastructure
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