Zertifikats

Zertifikats is the genitive singular form of the German noun Zertifikat, meaning certificate. In German usage the word Zertifikats appears mainly in phrases such as des Zertifikats and is less commonly used on its own; the nominative plural is Zertifikate.

In information technology, Zertifikats most commonly refers to digital certificates used in public key infrastructure (PKI). A digital certificate binds a public key to an entity (a person, organization, or device) and is issued by a certificate authority (CA). The certificate contains the subject’s identity, the public key, the issuer, validity period, and a digital signature from the CA that can be verified with the CA’s public key.

Digital certificates enable encrypted communication (such as TLS for websites), email encryption (S/MIME), and code or document signing. Their use requires a certificate lifecycle: a certificate request, identity verification, issuance, installation, and renewal before expiry, followed by revocation if the certificate is compromised. Revoked certificates are made invalid through certificate revocation lists (CRLs) or the Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP).

Standards and formats associated with Zertifikats include X.509 for certificate structure, and related PKI protocols. Certificates may be issued using algorithms such as RSA or ECDSA and stored in formats like PEM or DER; PKCS#12 files can bundle certificates with private keys.

Security and trust depend on a chain of trust from root CAs to intermediate CAs to end-entity certificates. Protecting private keys is essential, often requiring hardware security modules (HSMs) or secure enclaves. Regulatory frameworks in various regions, such as the EU’s eIDAS, govern the use and recognition of certificates for electronic signatures.

Beyond digital use, Zertifikats can also refer to physical certificates (educational diplomas, awards) in German contexts.