All About PKI in One Place

A PKI, short for Public Key Infrastructure, works by encrypting and signing data. There are several important reasons for this:

Data protection and security: Encryption allows information to be transmitted securely over insecure networks such as the Internet by using a public and a private key to encrypt and decrypt data. Only the private key decrypts the data encrypted with the public key.  This ensures that even if the data is intercepted during transmission, it cannot be read without the private key. This encryption method is also referred to as public key encryption or asymmetric encryption.

Authentication: Certificates ensure that a public key is actually owned by the person or system claiming ownership. They play a central role in validating the identity of a person or system, helping to build trust in digital interactions.

Data integrity: Digital signatures, which are created with a PKI, can be used to verify that data has not been altered during the transmission process und thus ensure their integrity.

Non-repudiation: Signing a certificate confirms beyond doubt that the data belongs to an entity. This is essential for legally binding transactions and other applications where the confirmation of an identity is of critical importance.

A Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a system of rules, functions, policies, and techniques that work together to create, manage, distribute, and verify digital certificates. These certificates are critical for verifying the identity of people or devices on digital networks and enabling them to communicate in a secure, encrypted manner.

An indispensable element within the PKI is the Certificate Authority (CA), which acts as a trusted authority. The CA is responsible for issuing certificates that validate the assignment of a public key to a specific entity. Each certificate contains details such as the entity's name, public key, expiration date, and other information, along with the CA's digital signature.

The core functions of a PKI include:

1. Key generation: Each entity generates a pair of cryptographic keys: a public key and a private key. The public key can be freely distributed, while the private key is securely stored and kept secret.
2. Certificate generation: The entity submits a request to the CA to obtain a certificate for its public key. This request may include identification information.
3. Certificate issuance: The CA verifies the identity of the requesting entity and issues a certificate containing the entity's public key and identification information. This certificate is digitally signed by the CA.
4. Certificate distribution: The entity can distribute its certificate along with its public key. Anyone who receives the certificate can verify the digital signature of the CA, and thus determine that the certificate and public key actually originate from the specified entity.
5. Authentication and encryption: To establish secure communication, the entity sends its certificate and public key to the desired communication partner. The other party uses the public key to encrypt a message that can only be decrypted with the entity's private key. At the same time, the entity can use its private key to create a digital signature that can be verified using the public key, thus enabling authentication.

The ECOS TrustManagementAppliancet is a PKI solution that provides all of these capabilities in an integrated platform to ensure the security of mobile devices, PCs, servers and other devices in (I)IoT environments.

PKI management is a complex process that requires careful attention and planning. Here are some important points to keep in mind:

1. Proper implementation: A PKI should be implemented with care. Implementation errors lead to vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers.
2. Trustworthy Certificate Authority: A reliable Certificate Authority (CA) is critical because it validates the legitimacy of digital certificates.
3. Private key security: Protecting private keys is of the utmost importance. If private keys are compromised, the security of the entire system is compromised.
4. Life cycle management: Certificate lifecycles must be carefully managed. This includes their creation, distribution, renewal and revocation. Failure to revoke a certificate can result in an unauthorized party gaining unauthorized access to systems.
5. Conformance: Ensure that your PKI solution complies with industry standards and best practices.
6. Automation: The automation of key and certificate management processes helps eliminate human error and can be more efficient.
7. Audit and monitoring: Regular auditing and monitoring is important to ensure that the PKI is functioning properly and to identify potential security issues early.