Term
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Description
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Certificate (Public Key
Certificate)
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A data structure containing the
public key of an end entity and some other information, which is
digitally signed with the private key of the CA which issued it.
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Certification Authority (CA)
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An entity trusted by one or more
users to create and assign public key certificates and be responsible
for them during their whole lifetime.
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Registration Authority (RA)
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An entity that is responsible
for identification and authentication of certificate subjects, but that
does not sign or issue certificates (i.e. an RA is delegated certain
tasks on behalf of a CA).
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Certificate Revocation List (CRL)
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A time stamped list identifying
revoked certificates which is signed by a CA and made freely available
in a public repository.
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Certificate Policy (CP)
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A named set of rules that
indicates the applicability of a certificate to a particular community
and/or class of application with common security requirements.
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Certification Practice Statement
(CPS)
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A statement of the practices
which a certification authority employs in issuing certificates.
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