| public-key certificate (BC-SEC) |
A digital document that acts as a user's digital identification card.
The public-key certificate (also known as an X.509 client certificate) is based on the X.509 format, which is an Internet standard developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Public-key certificates contain the public part of a user's public-key information and are used for authentication purposes and for verifying digital signatures. A Certification Authority (CA) guarantees the certificate owner's identity and approves or issues the certificate to the user.