What does PKI stand for in the context of digital certificates?

PKI stands for Public Key Infrastructure, which is crucial in the realm of digital certificates and securing communications over networks. It involves a framework that manages digital keys and certificates to enforce security measures based on public key cryptography.

PKI enables secure data exchange by ensuring the authenticity of public keys through a trusted model. This is achieved through the issuance of digital certificates by Certificate Authorities (CAs), which verify the identity of entities involved in the communication. When a user receives a digital certificate, they can trust that the public key contained within it truly belongs to the individual, organization, or device it claims to be associated with.

Overall, Public Key Infrastructure plays a vital role in establishing and maintaining trust in digital communications, allowing for encryption, secure authentication, and data integrity across various applications, such as secure email, web browsing, and electronic transactions.