ZertifikatspfadValidierung

Zertifikatspfad refers to the chain of trust that validates a digital certificate. In essence, it's a hierarchical structure where a certificate is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA), which itself is trusted by a higher-level CA, and so on, until the chain reaches a root CA. This root CA is pre-installed and trusted by operating systems and web browsers. When your computer or browser encounters a website using an SSL/TLS certificate, it verifies the certificate's authenticity by tracing its Zertifikatspfad back to a trusted root CA.

The process involves checking each certificate in the chain. Each intermediate certificate must be valid and signed by the issuing CA. If any certificate in the chain is expired, revoked, or signed by an untrusted entity, the browser will typically display a warning, indicating that the connection is not secure. Understanding the Zertifikatspfad is crucial for comprehending how public key cryptography secures online communications and ensures the identity of websites and servers. It forms the backbone of trust in digital security.