Key and Certificate Management

Secure key management is a necessary requirement for any cryptographic product. Users must be able to obtain keys as required for their security needs, have a method of looking up other's public keys, publicize their own keys, and determine that a key is valid. Certificates are used for this purpose.

Certificates must be unforgettable, obtainable in a secure manner, and processed in such a way that an unauthorized user cannot misuse them. This means that the network manager must handle the following issues:

• Loss or compromise of a private key

• Verifiable signature after key expiration

• Expiration dates

• Secure storage of private keys