Certificate Authorities
Certificate Authorities (CAs) are trusted entities that issue digital certificates, which verify the identity of websites, organizations, or individuals in online communications. They play a critical role in establishing secure connections by enabling encryption and authentication through protocols like TLS/SSL. CAs are part of the public key infrastructure (PKI) that underpins internet security.
Developers should understand Certificate Authorities when building or maintaining secure web applications, APIs, or any system requiring encrypted communication. This is essential for implementing HTTPS, securing data in transit, and preventing man-in-the-middle attacks. Knowledge of CAs is also crucial for DevOps tasks like certificate management, renewal, and troubleshooting SSL/TLS issues.