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Home / Glossary / OID
Glossary · Other

OID

Object Identifier

In plain language

A long string of numbers that gives a setting or object in a certificate or directory its own unique name.

The metaphor

Like a library catalogue number: one fixed number points to exactly one item.

Going deeper

How it works

  • Each number is registered so two things never share it.
  • They appear in certificates to say what a certificate may be used for.
  • Software reads them.
  • You see them in technical settings and error messages.
In practice
  • A certificate lists which uses it allows.
  • A directory setting is named by one.
  • A technician looks one up to understand an error.

A question owners ask

Why do I see long numbers in a certificate?

Those are these labels. They tell software what the certificate is for, and you can ignore them.

Related terms
AIArtificial IntelligenceBASHBourne Again ShellCMSContent Management SystemDLLDynamic Link LibraryHTMLHypertext Markup LanguageIEEEInstitute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersIMInstant MessagingMLMachine Learning

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