3Com WXR100 3CRWXR10095A, WX4400 3CRWX440095A, WX1200 3CRWX120695A Managing Keys and Certificates

416CHAPTER 20: MANAGING KEYS AND CERTIFICATES

Public Key A public-key infrastructure (PKI) is a system of digital certificates and Infrastructures certification authorities that verify and authenticate the validity of each

party involved in a transaction through the use of public key cryptography. To have a PKI, the WX switch requires the following:

„A public key

„A private key

„Digital certificates

„A CA

„A secure place to store the private key

A PKI enables you to securely exchange and validate digital certificates between WX switches, servers, and users so that each device can authenticate itself to the others.

Public and Private 3Com’s identity-based networking uses public key cryptography to Keys enforce the privacy of data transmitted over the network. Using

public-private key pairs, users and devices can send encrypted messages that only the intended receiver can decrypt.

Before exchanging messages, each party in a transaction creates a key pair that includes the public and private keys. The public key encrypts data and verifies digital signatures, and the corresponding private key decrypts data and generates digital signatures. Public keys are freely exchanged as part of digital certificates. Private keys are stored securely.

Digital Certificates Digital certificates bind the identity of network users and devices to a public key. Network users must authenticate their identity to those with whom they communicate, and must be able to verify the identity of other users and network devices, such as switches and RADIUS servers.

The 3Com Mobility System supports the following types of X.509 digital certificates:

„Administrative certificate—Used by the WX switch to authenticate itself to 3Com Wireless Switch Manager or Web Manager.

„WX-WX security certificate—Used by WX switches in a Mobility Domain to securely exchange management information. (For more information about this option, see “Configuring WX-WX Security” on page 158.