Definition: What Is a Certificate Authority?
A Certificate Authority (CA) is an entity that issues digital certificates to verify the identity of individuals, organizations, or devices. It acts as a trusted third party that verifies the identity of a certificate holder before issuing a digital certificate. Digital certificates are electronic documents that contain information about the identity of the certificate holder and the public key associated with that identity. CAs are responsible for revoking certificates that have been compromised or are no longer valid, and maintain a Certificate Revocation List (CRL) that contains information about revoked certificates. CAs play a crucial role in ensuring the security and integrity of digital communications and transactions.
