What is Certificate-Based Authentication?

Certificate-based authentication (CBA) is a method of verifying a user's or device's identity via digital certificates. A digital certificate is a file containing information about its holder, such as their name, email address, and public key. A trusted authority, such as a government agency or a web server, signs the certificate to validate its authenticity.

When a user or device seeks to access a secure resource, the authenticity of the certificate is then checked against a list of trusted certificates. If the certificate does not appear on the list, the user or device will be refused access.

How does CBA work?

Organizations that employ a username and password authentication service can upgrade to certificate-based authentication by building a public key infrastructure (PKI). However, rather than serving as a standalone service, PKI is typically used to add additional levels of authentication and security to other techniques, such as single sign-on.

A public key infrastructure (PKI) is a system of digital certificates, Certificate Authorities (CAs), and other security tools used to safeguard internet connections. A public key infrastructure (PKI) can be used by organizations to give digital certificates to workers and partners. They can also configure TLS/SSL for email, web traffic, and VPNs.

CBA features

• Increased security: Certificate-based authentication provides greater security than standard username and password combinations. We can see that passwords are frequently vulnerable to simple guessing or insecure storage techniques, such as writing them down. If we eliminate passwords, certificate-based authentication reduces the danger of phishing and brute-force assaults.  

• Streamlined authentication: Using certificates eliminates the need for users to memorize multiple login and password combinations, saving consumers substantial time wasted through guessing and/or resetting/changing passwords. As a result, certificate-based authentication reduces friction for users while simultaneously increasing overall user productivity. 

• Ease of deployment:  Certificate-based authentication simplifies deployment thanks to automated certificate issuance, easy connection with existing systems, and centralized management. It is scalable and cross-platform compatible, making it both easy to use and efficient. This technique offers increased security with minimum setup, making it an excellent alternative for businesses seeking a safe and simple authentication solution. 

Benefits of certificate-based authentication

There are numerous benefits of using certificate-based authentication instead of standard username and password systems: 

• Non-repudiation: Certificates give strong non-repudiation assurances by cryptographically confirming identity using private key signatures. It verifies that the entity that accessed resources or conducted a transaction is the one bound by the certificate.
• Flexible deployment options: Certificate-based solutions can be implemented on-premises or in the cloud as a managed service. They connect seamlessly with current infrastructures and can extend as needed to grow with the organization. Automated deployment and setup provide flexibility. 
• Scalability: Certificates scale easily with the number of users, devices, apps, and other resources that are secured. Certificate durations may be adjusted as needed, and automated certificate lifecycle management allows for additional expansion without compromising security or adding IT personnel overhead.