Organizational data is a critical business asset. As cybercrimes against data continue to rise, certificates are indispensable in ensuring data remains secure. Digital certificates serve to authenticate identities and ensure secure communication. From public-facing websites to internal company servers, certificate use is pervasive and acts as the bedrock for establishing and maintaining trust.
There are two types of certificates widely used today: public and private. While they share several similarities, they also have distinct and significant differences. Understanding the function and purpose of both public and private certificates is the first step toward implementing a robust digital security strategy.
Read on to learn more about public vs. private certificates and how they benefit organizations today.
What Are Public Certificates?
Public certificates, also called public key certificates or digital certificates, prove the ownership of a public key in the context of a public key structure (PKI). These types of certificates include data about the key, the identity of the key owner (the subject), and the digital signature of the entity confirming the certificate’s contents (the issuer).
The credibility of the public key is fundamentally anchored to the certificate issuer’s trustworthiness. If the issuer is deemed trustworthy, users can confidently determine that the public key is the rightful property of the associated entity.
The most common type of public certificate is the SSL/TLS certificate used for secure web communications. While SSL is still a widely used term and was once standard for secure connections, it is now considered deprecated due to inherent vulnerabilities. The more secure TLS protocol replaces it. This certificate contains the website’s public key plus information about the website’s owner. It also includes the certificate authority (CA) signature that the browser trusts.
When a web browser connects to a website, the site sends its SSL certificate. The browser checks this certificate to ensure that a trusted CA issued it and matches the website it connects to.
Some other common use cases for public certificates include:
What Are Private Certificates?
Private certificates are digital documents issued by an internal or private CA. They primarily function within a restricted environment, often confined to a single organization or group of known entities.
While globally trusted CAs recognize public certificates, private certificates are not inherently trusted by browsers or devices. As a result, they must be manually configured within the specific devices or software intended to recognize them. They are most commonly used in an intranet or private network to secure internal communications, authenticate servers and clients, and establish secure connections within the organization.
A distinct characteristic of private certificates is the level of control it gives the issuing entity. An organization employing private certificates has complete autonomy over its certificate policies, including issuance, revocation, and renewal.
In addition, private certificates are critical in establishing and maintaining secure communication channels within the boundaries of an organization or known group. They enhance the overall security posture of an organization by enabling secure internal connections. Their applications are diverse and often mirror those of public certificates but within a defined scope.
Private certificate deployment also offers potential cost reductions. Since organizations can issue them, they can avoid purchasing certificates from public CAs.
Some common use cases for private certificates include:
Public Certificates vs. Private Certificates: How Are They Different?
Public and private certificates differ in their specific purposes and scope of use.
Some of their most significant similarities are:
However, they do have critical differences:
While they have a similar structure and purpose, the key difference between public and private certificates lies in their level of trust and where they’re used. Public certificates are designed for broader, public-facing applications, whereas private certificates are designed for a more controlled, private environment.
Finding the Right Certificates for Your Business
Public and private certificates play crucial roles in today’s digital landscape. While public certificates establish trust on the internet and secure interactions with public-facing servers, private certificates provide a cost-effective security solution for internal, inter-organizational, or specific environment systems. Understanding the nuances of both is essential for identifying the right strategy to meet your organizational security needs.
Ready to implement or upgrade your certificate management strategy? Sectigo's team of experts can provide your organization with the guidance and tools to effectively use public and private certificates in your environment, ensuring robust and reliable security. Contact us today to know more.