Public Key Infrastructure: Importance And Best Practices For Businesses

IT sectors and security leaders have identified the potential of public key infrastructure. Hence, they accept the fact that PKI is one of the enterprises’ tested security partners. The digital landscape has changed with time, and so has the usage of PKIs.

PKIs have been involved in basic security features for large-scale security networks that protect enterprises’ critical infrastructure. Over the past few years, public key infrastructure has emerged as one of the most cost-effective ways to provide security to enterprises.

In this article, you will learn what is PKI. Apart from that, this article will discuss the major problems existing in PKI. Finally, you will learn various best practices to consider in PKI and how digital work is changing the use and implementation of PKI.

What Is Public Key Infrastructure?

Generally, public key infrastructure includes a set of technologies, processes, and policies that help secure data exchange through the Internet. These technologies use cryptographic keys, which help authenticate devices and users. Also, as a user, you can encrypt and sign data.

How Does Public Key Infrastructure Work?

The public key infrastructure works with the help of cryptographic keys, which help authenticate devices and users. Also, it helps with crypto sign and data encryption. The following are the technologies where you will find the use of PKI:

• Web browsers
• Virtual Private Network (VPN)
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Online Banking
• Securing connected vehicles.

Even digital signatures and encryption work upon the foundation of public key infrastructure when it is about a larger population.

Types of Public Key Infrastructure

The following are the major types of public key infrastructure systems:

• Public Key Certificates
• Certificate Authorities
• Digital Signatures
• Entities (end users of PKI products)

Risks of Improper Management of PKI

It is essential to manage public key infrastructure in the right manner. Otherwise, it leads to improper management. These include:

• Data breaches and unauthorized access
• Trust issues from authorities
• Difficulty in verifying identities
• Rise of legal issues
• Difficulties in finding, updating, and renewing certificates
• Compromise of trusted certificates.

Public Key Infrastructure and the Need for Best Practices

Today, enterprises are facing a new crisis. With the increase of the digital approach, businesses have invited uncertainties in their strategies and management systems. This has led to a demand for advanced and new generations of key public infrastructure.

The number of digital certificates and certificate automation has exploded over the past couple of years. This has also increased the demand for software tools integrated with the PKIs. To support this new reality, its engineers and security leaders are trying their best to develop new strategies to re-engineer the PKIs.

Best Practices in Public Key Infrastructure

PKI is nothing new in the market. It had been there in the market for quite a while. It is just that it has always been used to provide security to certain networks. However, over the past years, people have been able to gauge the potential of PKIs.

You will find that PKIs support many old technologies. However, the world is shifting its focus to digital technologies. This has created uncertainties for businesses. To find these uncertainties, security leaders are looking for ways to take the PKIs to the next level.

Here are some of the best PKI practices that are used in 2020.

1. Cloud /multi-cloud

We all know about cloud technology. But have you heard about multi-cloud technology? In 2020, multi-cloud, along with containers and service mesh, has become a norm. Every cloud network is different, but the need for the public key infrastructure is the same.

Every device needs a unique identity that can be used in communication or data transfer to communicate securely. An authorized certificate authority issues these unique identities. These identities are valid for a limited period of time. So, once they expire, you need to re-evaluate them.

2. Remote Workforce

The recent IT approach towards digital-based platforms has created a crisis of uncertainties. The IT landscape has left the footprints of mobile devices and remote workers. These uncertainties have created a need for an advanced PKI that can offer security beyond enterprise firewalls.

With so many remote workers working from different locations in an open network, it has become very important to have a secure communication network. This problem is solved by giving remote workers or devices with a unique identity number and a public key that can be used to verify their authenticity.

3. IoT Devices

With the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), the IT industry is facing a new challenge. In fact, the concept of the IoT has already coined decades ago. However, people were able to see its potential in recent years after the expansion of internet users.

With so many people connecting with the internet, it has become very important for them to have a unique identity that they can use while communicating with each other. All the connected data, devices, applications, and software need authentic verification to restrict any malicious content entering into the network.

This is where PKI comes into the frame. PKI offers end-to-end encryption, certificate authentication, and secure firmware signing to ensure that data is protected from fraudulent activities.

4. DevOps

Development teams rely on the certificate authorities to secure and authenticate connections. With the help of the PKI, they even protect the containers and run all the applications securely. Before the system is handed over to the production teams, the experts check its agility and speed to ensure the seamless integration of the digital certificates.

The Bottom Line

Public key infrastructure is certainly one of the best automation tools that you can use to boost your enterprise efficiency. However, it also comes with its fair share of flaws. The most significant challenge that you might face with the application enabling PKI is that the currency PKI infrastructure cannot support the new application.

Do you have more information to offer regarding public key infrastructure? Please share them in the comments section below.

Read Also: