PKCSsarjan

PKCSsarjan, or the PKCS series, is a family of standards for public-key cryptography and cryptographic message syntax developed by RSA Data Security in the 1990s. The series is commonly referred to by its PKCS numbers, such as PKCS #1 through PKCS #15, and it provides specifications for data formats, algorithms, and procedures intended to ensure interoperability among cryptographic implementations. The PKCS standards have been widely adopted in early Internet protocols and applications, including S/MIME email, SSL/TLS, and various PKI deployments, though some parts have been updated or superseded by later standards.

Key members include PKCS #1, the RSA Cryptography Standard, which defines formats for RSA keys, encryption, decryption, and digital signatures; PKCS #5 (Password-Based Cryptography Standard), which specifies password-based encryption and key derivation functions; PKCS #7 (Cryptographic Message Syntax), a framework for cryptographic objects in messages; PKCS #8 (Private-Key Information Syntax), which describes the encoding of private keys; PKCS #10 (Certification Request Syntax), used to request an X.509 certificate; PKCS #11 (Cryptographic Token Interface Standard), which defines a platform-independent API to cryptographic tokens; and PKCS #12 (Personal Information Exchange Syntax), used to bundle private keys with certificates.

Over time, some PKCS standards have become foundational, while others are less used or have evolved into ISO/IEC or IETF specifications. PKCSsarjan remains a useful shorthand for discussing the historical and technical context of public-key cryptography in many systems.