PKI is key to secure e-commerce

Today's Internet economy depends heavily on the security and validity of information. Commerce cannot happen if customers don't trust the online vendor. Credit card numbers can't be transmitted without encryption, and secure e-mail depends heavily on PKI (public key infrastructure).

In each case, vendors of these technologies rose to the occasion, making sure each was up to the ever-increasing challenges. We chose the combined capability of digital certificates, encryption, and PKI as a Technology of the Year award winner.

It's important to note that these three technologies cannot stand on their own. Digital certificates depend on encryption, encrypted e-mail relies heavily on PKI, and PKI in turn depends on digital certificates and encryption to be useful.

These technologies are helping companies to build their businesses for the Web while ensuring that vital customer and corporate information is kept confidential. Digital certificates are important for many different businesses. They help customers and businesses to verify the source of information and files and to determine the authenticity of software applications and other products.

Without digital certificates, Internet software distribution would not have matured as it did in 2000; it would have been a much less attractive option for many businesses. And without an easy way to verify the source of bug fixes and virus signature updates, customers could not trust the information that your business provides.

Encryption has also been a key technology in 2000. All facets of networking and computing depend on the security of information. VPNs, electronic commerce, Web-based access to sensitive information, and even e-mail require the ability to hide data from prying eyes as it passes over public networks or unsecured servers.

The maturation of these three technologies during 2000 helped to drive the Internet economy forward and will continue to do so.

Businesses have reaped significant cost savings by using these technologies, which allow the secure and verifiable exchange of products and information. But even more impressively, these technologies have enabled true Internet commerce and the business use of the Web. Without digital certificates, encryption, and PKI, business on the Web as we know it would not be possible. And Web-based businesses worldwide would not be able to operate, or at the least would be heavily restricted, without the ability to verify information, encrypt it, and share encryption keys with employees, customers, and business partners.

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