RA

Registration Authority

In plain language

The office that checks who is asking for a digital certificate before the certificate issuer hands one out.

The metaphor

Like the clerk at the passport counter who checks your photo and papers before the passport office prints the document.

Going deeper

How it works

The authority verifies the person, company or domain behind a request.
Approved requests go to the certificate authority, which signs the certificate.
Splitting the checking from the signing makes fraud harder.
Website owners meet it as the domain or company check when ordering a certificate.

In practice

A certificate provider confirms you control a domain before issuing a website certificate.
A company verifies an employee's identity before issuing a signing certificate.
A government program checks business registration before issuing a certificate for a business.

Who is responsible for the check?

The registration authority does the check. The certificate authority signs only requests the registration authority approved.

Related terms

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