From a7e50f5f9c1b976ac02f793e2f00c7acff9374e5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Tammi L. Coles" Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2024 11:45:49 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] write generic opening for the chapter --- book/source/adv/certificates.md | 14 ++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+) diff --git a/book/source/adv/certificates.md b/book/source/adv/certificates.md index 522ebda..c4ee2b6 100644 --- a/book/source/adv/certificates.md +++ b/book/source/adv/certificates.md @@ -5,6 +5,20 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-SA-4.0 # Advanced material: Certificates +## Introduction to OpenPGP certificates + +OpenPGP certificates are pivotal in establishing and maintaining trust within the realm of secure communications. These certificates encapsulate public key data along with user identities and are instrumental in the encryption, decryption, and signing processes that underpin the OpenPGP standard. + +### Overview of OpenPGP certificates + +An OpenPGP certificate comprises one or more public keys, a user ID that associates the certificate with a real-world identity, and signatures that validate this association. Certificates are the foundation of the Web of Trust model, allowing users to sign each other's keys to endorse the linkage between a key and its owner's identity. This decentralized trust model enables users to establish chains of trust for verifying identities in the absence of a central authority. + +### Importance and use cases + +OpenPGP certificates are crucial for a wide range of applications, from secure email communication to software signing and beyond. They provide the mechanisms for users to encrypt messages, ensuring that only the intended recipient can decrypt them, and to sign data, confirming the integrity and origin of the information. In the software development domain, OpenPGP certificates are used to sign code and packages, allowing users to verify the authenticity and integrity of software they download and install. + +In this chapter, we aim to delve deeper into the advanced concepts surrounding OpenPGP certificates, focusing on their validity, expiration, and the critical role they play in ensuring the security and reliability of cryptographic communications. By exploring these concepts, we aim to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of how OpenPGP certificates function within the ecosystem, their practical applications, and best practices for managing certificate validity and expiration to maintain a secure cryptographic environment. + ## When are certificates valid? Certificates are composites of components that are linked together using [signatures](../signing_components).