Netscape MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 6.01 Installation And Setup Manual page 816

authentication Confident identification; that is, assurance that a party to some
computerized transaction is not an impostor. Authentication typically involves the
use of a password, certificate, PIN, or other information that can be used to validate
identity over a computer network. See also password-based authentication,
certificate-based authentication, client authentication, server authentication.
authentication module A set of rules (implemented as a Java class) for
authenticating an end entity, agent, administrator, or any other entity that needs to
interact with a CMS manager. In the case of typical end-user enrollment, after the
user has supplied the information requested by the enrollment form, the
enrollment servlet uses an authentication module associated with that form to
validate the information and authenticate the user's identity. See servlet.
authorization Permission to access a resource controlled by a server.
Authorization typically takes place after the ACLs associated with a resource have
been evaluated by a server. See access control list (ACL).
automatic authentication A way of configuring a CMS manager that allows
automatic authentication for the purposes of end-entity enrollment, without
human intervention. With this form of authentication, a certificate request that
completes authentication module processing successfully is automatically
approved for policy processing and certificate issuance.
bind DN A user ID, in the form of a distinguished name (DN), used with a
password to authenticate to Netscape Directory Server.
CA certificate A certificate that identifies a certificate authority. See also
certificate authority (CA), subordinate CA, root CA.
CA hierarchy A hierarchy of CAs in which a root CA delegates the authority to
issue certificates to subordinate CAs. Subordinate CAs can also expand the
hierarchy by delegating issuing status to other CAs. See also certificate authority
(CA), subordinate CA, root CA.
CA server key The SSL server key of the server providing a CA service.
CA signing key The private key that corresponds to the public key in the CA
certificate. A CA uses its signing key to sign certificates and CRLs.
certificate Digital data, formatted according to the X.509 standard, that specifies
the name of an individual, company, or other entity (the subject name of the
certificate) and certifies that a public key, which is also included in the certificate,
belongs to that entity. A certificate is issued and digitally signed by a certificate
816 Netscape Certificate Management System Installation and Setup Guide • May 2002