ABSTRACT
All organizations rely on cryptographic keys and digital certificates to secure their business. The software devices were designed to solve the original Internet security problem—accurately identifying servers and browsers so that they could safely communicate back and forth independently. Machines rely exclusively on keys and certificates to know what to trust and what not to trust in the digital world. Keys and certificates are in play any time, the people are moving data via secure sockets layer/transport layer security; secure shell; and mobile, cloud, and Internet of things connections. While these are common applications of keys and certificates, in truth, any application that is used today, whether it is for personal, professional, or public access, needs to be secured, and cryptography is the foundation of cybersecurity. Organizations such as National Institute of Standards and Technology have mapped out the different types of identities through documents such as SP 800-63 and the risk/assurance they provide in establishing trust online.
