Public Key Infrastructures as a Means for Increasing Network Security

Abstract

The work investigates some “core” features of public key infrastructures (PKI), including fundamental technologies and infrastructures, within the context of recent market demands for increased network security applications. To this aim, we explain the basic features of public key cryptography, in parallel with a variety of other major PKI functional operations, all able to affect network development and growth. Then, we discuss some among the relevant basic and PKI-derived services, in order to comply with current needs and security requirements, thus supporting both usage and deployment of such infrastructures in competitive markets. In addition, we focus on several recent advances of information and communication convergence, and the effect those advances have on the notion of PKI, especially if considering future challenges. PKI have now become a central part of securing today’s networked world and it should be expected that it will continue to have a huge impact on businesses. Furthermore, we correlate the above activities to recent European regulatory initiatives and similar commonly applied policies, to promote the appliance of digital signatures in a fully converged and liberalized market environment.