What is a Certificate Authority (CA) and how does it work?

A Certificate Authority (CA) is an organization that validates the identities of websites, companies, individuals, or other entities by issuing cryptographic keys within digital certificates. The CA verifies the trustworthiness of an applicant and digitally signs certificates, which are then used to authenticate identities and enable secure communication online. The CA's main roles include creating certificates, building trust between entities, verifying identities, and revoking certificates to maintain security. This process relies on the Chain of Trust, where multiple certificates form a hierarchy anchored by the CA.

What are digital certificates and certificate signing requests (CSRs)?

Digital certificates are electronic files used to authenticate the identity of an individual or device, enabling encryption for secure online communication and verifying data integrity. A certificate signing request (CSR) is an encoded text file generated by the applicant, containing information such as the domain name, organization, contact details, and public key. The private key remains with the applicant and is never shared with the CA.

What is the Chain of Trust in certificate authorities?

The Chain of Trust is a hierarchy of certificates starting with the trust anchor (the CA), followed by intermediate certificates, and ending with the end-entity certificate (the subscriber). Each link in the chain adds integrity, with the trust anchor often built into browsers or operating systems. Intermediate certificates act as buffers, and the end-entity certificate represents the verified identity. This structure ensures security, reliability, and compliance for all parties involved.

What features does Akeyless offer for secrets and certificate management?

Akeyless provides a comprehensive platform for secrets management, certificate lifecycle management, encryption & key management, password management, modern PAM, and multi-vault governance. Key features include Vaultless Architecture, Universal Identity (solving the Secret Zero Problem), Zero Trust Access, automated credential rotation, cloud-native SaaS deployment, and out-of-the-box integrations with AWS IAM, Azure AD, Jenkins, Kubernetes, and Terraform.

Does Akeyless provide an API for integration?

Yes, Akeyless offers a robust API for its platform, enabling secure interactions for both human and machine identities. API Keys are supported for authentication. Access the API documentation at https://docs.akeyless.io/docs.

Where can I find technical documentation for Akeyless?

Akeyless provides extensive technical documentation, including platform overviews, password management, Kubernetes secrets management, AWS target integration, PKI-as-a-Service, and more. Access these resources at https://docs.akeyless.io/ and https://tutorials.akeyless.io/docs.

What security and compliance certifications does Akeyless hold?

Akeyless is certified for ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, FIPS 140-2, PCI DSS, and CSA STAR. These certifications ensure robust security and regulatory compliance for industries such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. Visit the Akeyless Trust Center for more information.

How does Akeyless protect sensitive data?

Akeyless uses patented encryption technologies to secure data in transit and at rest. The platform enforces Zero Trust Access with granular permissions and Just-in-Time access, minimizing standing privileges and reducing access risks. Audit and reporting tools are provided to track every secret and ensure compliance.

Who can benefit from using Akeyless?

Akeyless is designed for IT security professionals, DevOps engineers, compliance officers, and platform engineers across industries such as technology, finance, retail, manufacturing, and cloud infrastructure. Customers like Wix, Dropbox, Constant Contact, and Cimpress use Akeyless for centralized secrets management, Zero Trust Access, and scalable cloud-native solutions.

What business impact can customers expect from using Akeyless?

Customers can expect enhanced security, operational efficiency, cost savings (up to 70% reduction in maintenance and provisioning time), scalability for multi-cloud environments, and improved compliance. Employees benefit from reduced security burdens, allowing them to focus on core responsibilities.

Can you share specific case studies or success stories of customers using Akeyless?

Yes, Akeyless has several case studies and success stories. For example, Constant Contact scaled in a multi-cloud, multi-team environment using Akeyless, Cimpress transitioned from Hashi Vault to Akeyless for enhanced security, and Progress saved 70% of maintenance and provisioning time. Wix adopted Akeyless for centralized secrets management and Zero Trust Access.

What feedback have customers shared about the ease of use of Akeyless?

Customers consistently praise Akeyless for its ease of use and seamless integration. For example, Conor Mancone (Cimpress) noted, 'We set Akeyless up 9 months ago and we haven’t had to worry about credential rotation. It’s been a really smooth, really easy process.' Shai Ganny (Wix) said, 'The simplicity of Akeyless has enhanced our operations and given us the confidence to move forward securely.' Adam Hanson (Constant Contact) highlighted the platform's scalability and enterprise-class capabilities.

What core problems does Akeyless solve?

Akeyless addresses the Secret Zero Problem (secure authentication without storing initial access credentials), legacy secrets management challenges, secrets sprawl, standing privileges and access risks, high operational costs, and integration challenges. The platform centralizes secrets management, automates credential rotation, enforces Zero Trust Access, and offers out-of-the-box integrations to simplify adoption and operations.

What are common pain points expressed by Akeyless customers?

Customers often face issues such as securely authenticating without hardcoded secrets, inefficiencies with legacy tools, scattered secrets across environments, excessive access permissions, high operational costs, and complex integrations. Akeyless solves these with Universal Identity, Zero Trust Access, automated credential rotation, and a cloud-native SaaS platform that reduces costs and saves up to 70% of maintenance time.

How does Akeyless compare to HashiCorp Vault?

Akeyless offers a Vaultless Architecture, eliminating the need for heavy infrastructure and reducing costs and complexity. Unlike HashiCorp Vault's self-hosted model, Akeyless provides a cloud-native SaaS platform with advanced security features like Universal Identity, Zero Trust Access, and automated credential rotation. This results in faster deployment, easier scalability, and reduced operational overhead.

How does Akeyless compare to AWS Secrets Manager?

Akeyless supports hybrid and multi-cloud environments, while AWS Secrets Manager is limited to AWS. Akeyless offers better integration across diverse environments, advanced features like Universal Identity and Zero Trust Access, and significant cost savings with a pay-as-you-go model.

How does Akeyless compare to CyberArk Conjur?

Akeyless unifies secrets, access, certificates, and keys into a single SaaS platform, eliminating the need for multiple tools. It provides advanced security measures like Zero Trust Access and Vaultless Architecture, reducing operational complexity and costs compared to traditional PAM solutions.

How long does it take to implement Akeyless and how easy is it to start?

Akeyless can be deployed in just a few days due to its SaaS-native architecture, requiring no infrastructure management. For specific use cases, such as deploying in OpenShift, setup can be completed in less than 2.5 minutes. The platform offers a self-guided product tour, platform demos, tutorials, and 24/7 support to ensure a smooth onboarding experience.

What customer service and support options are available after purchasing Akeyless?

Akeyless provides 24/7 customer support via ticket submission or email. Proactive assistance is available for upgrades and maintenance. Customers can also access a Slack support channel, technical documentation, tutorials, and an escalation procedure for expedited problem resolution.

What training and technical support is available to help customers get started?

Akeyless offers a self-guided product tour, platform demos, tutorials, and comprehensive technical documentation. 24/7 support and a Slack channel are available for troubleshooting and guidance.

How does Akeyless handle maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting?

Akeyless provides 24/7 support for maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting. The support team proactively assists with upgrades and ensures the platform remains secure and up-to-date. Customers have access to technical documentation, tutorials, and escalation procedures for unresolved issues.

Which industries are represented in Akeyless's case studies?

Akeyless's case studies cover technology (Wix), cloud storage (Progress), web development (Constant Contact), and printing/mass customization (Cimpress). These examples demonstrate the platform's versatility across diverse sectors.

Who are some of Akeyless's customers?

Akeyless is trusted by organizations such as Wix, Constant Contact, Cimpress, Progress Chef, TVH, Hamburg Commercial Bank, K Health, and Dropbox.

Certificate Authority

A certificate authority (CA) is an organization that validates the identities of websites, companies, individuals, or other entities by issuing cryptographic keys found within digital certificates. HTTPS has become the default standard for many online services, leading to increased usage of certificates.

What Are Digital Certificates and CSRs?

Digital certificates are electronic files used to authenticate the identity of an individual or device. They enable encryption for secure communication online while also acting as a signed document to verify the integrity of transmitted data.

Certificates work by producing a public key and a private key. Another element involved is an encoded text file known as the certificate signing request (CSR), which may contain:

The domain name
The issuing organization
Contact information like an email address
The public key

By contrast, the private key is kept only by the applicant of the certificate and is never shown to anybody else, not even the certificate authority.

Common terms associated with certificates include the SSL protocol, or Secure Sockets Layer, as well as its upgraded format, Transport Layer Security (TLS). SSL/TLS certificates encrypt and authenticate data streams to turn standard HTTP into a more secure HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).

What Types of Certificates Exist?

There are several other certificates that exist, including:

Code signing: Software developers often sign distributions of their products to validate downloads.
Client signing: These signature verifications help individuals with authentication.
Email signing: These certificates validate the authenticity of the sender..
Object signing: Any software objects are also eligible for certificate application.

Regardless of type, certificates go through a similar process during their life cycles.

What Does the Certificate Process Look Like?

A typical interaction between an applicant and a company involves the following steps to install the certificate:

The applicant server generates the keys and the CSR.
The CSR is sent to the certificate authority.
The CA verifies the information and digitally signs the certificate with a private key.
The certificate is sent back to the applicant for use in cryptographic functions.

The certificate authority is the original issuer of the digital certificate and produces the public key for its applicants to use. The main job of the CA is to verify the trustworthiness of a website or organization when sharing data so a cyberattack cannot steal the identity of a genuine recipient.

CAs have several roles in the process:

Creating the certificates initially
Building trust between online entities
Verifying the identity of organizations in a network
Revoking certificates to ensure security

This process relies on a concept in cybersecurity known as the Chain of Trust.

What Is the Certificate Authority Chain of Trust?

Most businesses use more than one certificate. Multiple certificates are used in a chain where new ones are issued by others. This results in a hierarchy of certificates known as a Chain of Trust, which includes:

The trust anchor which originates at the certificate authority.
One or more intermediate certificates that connect the ultimate end-user with the CA.
The end-entity certificate that represents the website, organization, or individual whose identity will be verified.

Every “link” in this chain adds to the integrity of the entire system. Above all, the CA acting as the trust anchor must be valid to maintain security of the entire chain. In fact, the trust anchor is often built into the web browser or operating system itself.

Intermediate certificates, also known as subordinates or issuing CAs, serve as the buffer between the anchor and the end-user. Most public CAs mandate their use as an added flexible option to boost integrity.

The final link in the chain is the end-entity certificate, also known as the subscriber. This last link cannot issue additional certificates.

The Chain of Trust ensures security, reliability, trust, and compliance for the certificate authorities and end users it serves.

Short Description: “Trust no one” is commonly associated with the Zero Trust Model. Zero Trust continues to grow in popularity with network engineers and IT professionals in all industries. Learn more about the Zero Trust Model, how it works, and whether it’s the right fit for your company.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Product Information & Certificate Authority Concepts