Security+General concepts
PKI and certificates
Outline only. PKI is the system that lets strangers trust a public key. The crypto note stops just short of it.
8 min read · Outline, not a finished note
Outline. This module is on the map so you can track it. The page below is a writing checklist, not finished study material.
Objectives
- Define a certificate as a signed binding between a name and a key
- List the trust failures a finished note should cover
TODO
Concept note only. No instructions for minting a rogue authority.
Checklist
- A certificate binds a public key to a subject, signed by an issuer. Trust comes from trusting that issuer, directly or through a chain.
- Validation is more than “not expired.” The name has to match, the chain has to be valid, and revocation has to be considered.
- Private keys stay private. A certificate is public. Mixing those up is a common exam miss. The cryptography note introduces the distinction.
- Use cases to mention later: TLS server identity, code signing, and client certificates as an authentication factor.
- Operational issues: expiration, rotation, and what breaks when a widely trusted issuer is distrusted. Those are availability problems caused by an identity control.
- Do not include steps for installing a hostile root or for forging a signature.