NPKI

NPKI stands for the National Public Key Infrastructure. It is a system established by governments and organizations to manage digital certificates and public keys. The primary purpose of NPKI is to provide a secure and trusted framework for electronic transactions and digital communications. It ensures the authenticity and integrity of digital information.

In essence, NPKI acts as a digital notary. It verifies the identity of individuals and organizations participating in online activities. This is achieved through the issuance and management of digital certificates. These certificates bind a public key to a specific entity, confirming their identity. When a user sends a digitally signed message or document, the recipient can use the sender's public key, obtained through the NPKI, to verify the sender's identity and ensure the message hasn't been tampered with.

NPKI plays a crucial role in various applications, including secure online banking, e-government services, digital signatures for legal documents, and secure access to sensitive information. Different countries and regions often have their own NPKI systems, tailored to their specific legal and regulatory environments. These systems are designed to be interoperable to some extent, allowing for cross-border secure transactions. The trust in an NPKI is built upon the hierarchical structure of its Certificate Authorities (CAs), which are responsible for issuing and revoking certificates.