PKI (Public Key Infrastructure)

Public-key infrastructure is the system of certificate authorities, registration authorities, X.509 certificates, and key-management practices that binds a public key to a verified identity and enables encryption and digital signatures. In shipping, PKI underpins electronic bills of lading, the SSAS, secure machine-to-machine messaging, and the trust model for digital trade under the UNCITRAL MLETR. Trust roots in a certificate authority; the private key is typically protected in a hardware security module, and certificate validity is checked against revocation lists or OCSP.