ZyXEL Communications NWA-3160, User Manual

Page: 171 / 386

NWA3000-N Series User’s Guide
171
C
H A P T E R
1 4
Certificates
14.1 Overview
The NWA3000-N series AP can use certificates (also called digital IDs) to
authenticate users. Certificates are based on public-private key pairs. A certificate
contains the certificate owner’s identity and public key. Certificates provide a way
to exchange public keys for use in authentication.
14.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter
• The My Certificate screens ( Section 14.2 on page 175 ) generate and export
self-signed certificates or certification requests and import the NWA3000-N
series AP’s CA-signed certificates.
• The Trusted Certificates screens ( Section 14.3 on page 185 ) save CA
certificates and trusted remote host certificates to the NWA3000-N series AP.
The NWA3000-N series AP trusts any valid certificate that you have imported as
a trusted certificate. It also trusts any valid certificate signed by any of the
certificates that you have imported as a trusted certificate.
14.1.2 What You Need to Know
The following terms and concepts may help as you read this chapter.
When using public-key cryptology for authentication, each host has two keys. One
key is public and can be made openly available. The other key is private and must
be kept secure.
These keys work like a handwritten signature (in fact, certificates are often
referred to as “digital signatures”). Only you can write your signature exactly as it
should look. When people know what your signature looks like, they can verify
whether something was signed by you, or by someone else. In the same way, your
private key “writes” your digital signature and your public key allows people to
verify whether data was signed by you, or by someone else.