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# Using Certificates

A certificate is the digital equivalent of an ID card. Just as you may have several ID cards for different purposes, such as a driver's license, an employee ID card, or a credit card, you can have several certificates that are used to identify you for different purposes.

In addition to certificates that identify you, your browser can keep certificates on file that identify other people or organizations. These allow you to control, for example, which web sites you trust for financial transactions.

This section describes how to examine and configure the certificates you have on file. For an overview of the way certificates work, see [xref to Certificates and Network Security]. When you are using Certificate Manager windows, you can also obtain more detailed instructions by clicking the Help button in the lower-right corner of each window.

In this section: Get Your Own Certificate Check Security for a Web Page Manage Certificates Manage Smart Cards and Other Security Devices View or Change SSL Settings View or Change Certificate Validation Settings

## Get Your Own Certificate

Much like a credit card or a driver's license, a certificate is a form of identification you can use to identify yourself over the Internet and other networks. Like other commonly used personal IDs, a certificate is typically issued by an organization with recognized authority to issue such identification. An organization that issues certificates is called a certificate authority.

Once you have obtained a certificate, you store it in a security device. Your browser comes with its own built-in software security device. A security device can also be a piece of hardware, such as a smart card.

To get a certificate, go to the URL for any certificate authority and follow the on-screen instructions for obtaining a certificate. For a list of certificate authorities, see Client Certificates.

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## Check Security for a Web Page

[describes the lock icon and how to open Page Info for a given web page.]

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## Manage Certificates

[describes how to open the Cert Manager.]

Manage Certificates that Identify You
Manage Certificates that Identify Web Sites
Manage Certificates that Identify Certificate Authorities

### Manage Certificates that Identify You

[Describes how to open the Cert Manager to the first tab, how to select one or more certs, and how to examine, back up, delete, and restore certs.]

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### Manage Certificates that Identify Web Sites

[Describes how to open the Cert Manager to the third tab, how to select one or more certs, how to edit the settings for selected web site certs, and how to delete selected web site certs.]

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### Manage Certificates that Identify Certificate Authorities

[Describes how to open the Cert Manager to the fourth tab, how to select one or more certs, how to edit the settings for selected CA certs, and how to delete selected CA certs.]

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## Manage Smart Cards and Other Security Devices

[Describes how to open the Cert Manager to the fifth tab and how to add, delete, log into, or log out of security modules and devices.]

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## Edit SSL Settings

[Describes how to use SSL preferences.]

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## Edit Validation Settings

[Describes how use Validation Preferences.]

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2/12/2001

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