A system of certificate
authorities, digital certificates, and registration authorities that verify and
authenticate parties involved in Internet
transactions. Because PKIs are evolving, no single PKI or one agreed-upon
standard for setting up a PKI exists. However, no one in the security field
disagrees that reliable PKIs are critical for ensuring trust in online transactions if electronic commerce (known
as e-commerce) is to reach its fullest potential. PKI is also known as “a trust
hierarchy.”
See Also:
Internet; Trust.
Jupitermedia Corporation. What is PKI? [Online, October 31, 2001.] Jupitermedia
Corporation Website. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/PKI.html.