IdenTrust: State of Washington: Digital Certificate Holder Information

Digital Certificate Holder Information

1. Is my certificate installed correctly in my browser?
2. How to tell if your certificate is properly installed into Netscape Navigator:
3. How to tell if your certificate is properly installed into Internet Explorer:
4. What do I do if I forget my password?
5. How do I update the information in my certificate?
6. How do I renew my certificate?
7. Should I keep my certificate private?
8. Why must I keep my private key confidential?
9. Where can I get additional information on using certificates?

1. Is my certificate installed correctly in my browser?

Your certificate may be installed into your Web browser, but different browser manufacturers store certificates differently. Each browser has built-in functionality to store and display certificates. Below are instructions for the two most popular browsers-Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

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2. How to tell if your certificate is properly installed into Netscape Navigator: a. On the Netscape toolbar, click the button with the lock icon labeled "Security" to open the Security Info window.
b. Under "Certificates", click "Yours" to view your certificates.
c. Click the certificate you wish to verify.
d. Click the "View" button to display your certificate.
e. Verify that the information displayed is correct.

NOTE: You may need to scroll the display screen or resize column displays to see all the information displayed. Netscape displays the list of certificates using the nickname that you chose when you installed the certificate. If you did not choose a nickname for your certificate, it will show as a blank line within Navigator. If a blank white box is displayed, you may select it by clicking on the blank line and then clicking the View button.

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3. How to tell if your certificate is properly installed into Internet Explorer: For Internet Explorer, choose "Internet Options" from the "Tools" menu.

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4. What do I do if I forget my password?
If you forget the browser or token password that protects your private key and certificate, you will be unable to access the private key for your certificate. If you hold a Standard Assurance Browser Certificate, you will have to reapply for a new certificate.

IdenTrust offers encryption key recovery for State of Washington subscribers who hold Intermediate and High Assurance Level Certificates. You must have your account number (found in the Welcome Kit) and your passphrase to initiate a key recovery. If you don't have your account number, IdenTrust Customer Support can provide that to you. If you have forgotten your passphrase, you'll need to get a form from IdenTrust Customer Support that must be filled out.

The cost for encryption key recovery will be dependent on the type of private key storage mechanism in place. Please contact IdenTrust Customer Support for additional information on the associated costs.

If you forget the passphrase that you provided when you applied for your certificate, you can request passphrase assistance at the retrieval pages or the Certificate Management Center (CMC). After providing some identifying information, you will receive an e-mail message containing a URL and a security code for accessing the passphrase reset site. At this secure site, you can provide the answers to your secret questions (which you provided during registration or in the CMC), and if you answer them correctly, you will be allowed to change your passphrase.

If you are a Roaming Certificate Holder and you forget your Roaming Password, you can reset it in the CMC. Resetting your Roaming Password initiates the generation of new keys and certificates that will replace those for which you have forgotten the password. This process will not alter the properties of your certificate and will be transparent for you.

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5. How do I update the information in my certificate? The information contained in a digital certificate cannot be changed. If changes are required (e.g., new e-mail address), you will need to apply for and obtain a new certificate.

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6. How do I renew my certificate? High, Intermediate and Standard (Non Roaming) certificates have a validity period of two years. Standard Roaming certificates have a validity period of one year. Within your certificates validity period, it will be necessary to renew your certificate in order to avoid going through the application process again. As long as your common name is the same, your e-mail address is the same, and you want the same level of assurance, you can renew your certificate. New keys will be generated. IdenTrust will send out a notification before the validity period expires via email with renewal instructions.

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7. Should I keep my certificate private? No, your certificate is meant to be public. Because your certificate contains your identity information and the associated public key, it does not need to be kept private. A certificate is a public document that binds your private key to your identity information. While you must keep your private key confidential, you should publicize your certificate as widely as possible so others can use the information in it to engage in secure e-commerce and communications with you. IdenTrust will make your certificate available on the World Wide Web to enable others to find it.

Your private key is separate from your certificate. It is not displayed in your certificate and cannot be determined from the information displayed in your certificate. You must protect your private key and keep it a secret. Most people store their private keys using the password protection of their Web browser or a hardware token.

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8. Why must I keep my private key confidential? Your private key is literally the key that opens up your digital certificate. The private key is used to digitally sign documents which others can verify using your public key that is part of your certificate. Your private encryption key is also used to decrypt private information so that only you may read it. If someone else obtained your private keys, that person could masquerade as you, digitally sign as you, and read your encrypted information.

It is very important that you protect your private key with a passphrase in order to ensure that no one can access your keys and steal your identity. Please do not give your token or browser passphrase to anyone.

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9. Where can I get additional information on using certificates? In addition to this FAQ, you may also visit IdenTrust's Certificate Help Web page at http://www.IdenTrust.com/support/index.html

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