Dr. Dobb's | Java Cryptography & X.509 Authentication | February 1, 2005
Most systems use passwords as a verification of claimed identity. However, conventional passwords have disadvantages. For one thing, they can easily be shared among users or become easy targets for eavesdropping. Another way for proving identity is by the use of digital certificates, also known as “digital IDs.” The most widely accepted format for digital certificates is defined by the ITU-T X.509 International Standard, enabling certificates to be read or written by any application complying with X.509. In short, X.509 is a Standard that makes it possible to identify someone on the Internet.
