A digital certificate or an identity certificate is an electronic document which is used as a proof of ownership of a public key in cryptography. A digital certificate contains identification data and public key. It also contains a digital signature of a certification authority which is derived from the private key of that certification authority.
Passwords are no longer the safest method of authentication. Nowadays, there are various methods to hack into a network which is protected by a username and password combination. This could be due to the advancements in the IT sector, the increasingly popular BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) trend in the corporate sector and also open workspaces in many companies which allow any user device to access the network. Here, digital certificate-based authentication proves to be useful as it authenticates both the user and the machine use cases.
- Digital certificate-based authentication makes use of a digital certificate to authenticate a user, device and machine before granting it access to the network or resource. The digital certificate-based authentication method makes the use of cloud technology which has become popular amongst many companies in recent times. The cloud technology makes it easy and feasible for the administrators of the network to issue digital certificates to new employees, renew certificates for existing employees and also withdraw a certificate when an employee leaves the firm.
A certificate-based authentication server uses certificates and SSL (Single Sign On) to authenticate a user, machine or device. The method for authentication under the certificate method is quite simple.
- While authenticating a user to a server, the client has to digitally sign an electronically produced document or piece of data.
- Then, both the certificate and signed data are sent across the network.
- After the certificate and signed data are received, the server authenticates the user’s identity based on the certificate.
- Then, the user is authenticated and allowed access to the network.
Now let us discuss the pros and cons of using the Digital Certificate-Based Authentication Method:
PROS:
- Unlike some biometric-based authentication methods, there is no hardware required for the digital certificate-based authentication method. The entire authentication process is carried out virtually with the help of cloud technology.
- The certificates are stored virtually which makes it a cost-friendly method. It also makes it quicker, easier and cheaper to allot, replace and revoke certificates in the desired situation.
- The certificate-based authentication method can be used to replace the first 3 steps in the authentication process by allowing the user to employ the SSO method.
- The Digital Certificate-Based Authentication Method is quite user-friendly. Once the certificate is installed and stored, no further steps are needed to be taken. This method is supported by various company networks which makes it very convenient for users.
- It allows for mutual authentication between the two parties. This means that both the parties involved in the communication can identify and authenticate themselves, be it a user-user communication or a user-machine communication or a machine-machine communication.
- Digital certificates allow you to easily extend to your external users. You can easily communicate with users from outside your organization such as partners, freelancers and contract-based employees who require access to your network.
CONS:
- Although it is a one-time process, establishing a mobile network for digital certificate-based authentication is not the cheapest methods. Thus, it is not a feasible option for small companies or start-ups who aren’t willing to invest in cloud technology.
- Digital certificates usually tend to be vendor specific and may not be able to distinguish between vendors and products. These certificates may not be compatible with all machines and devices which makes it difficult for everyone to use.