Certificate Services

Technology Services has been designated as the Registration Authority for certificate services provided by Sectigo/InCommon and is responsible for overseeing the Texas A&M University (02) certificate service.

What Are Certificates?

A certificate is a digital document that is used to prove the identity of an individual or organization. In the context of computer systems, a certificate is typically used to verify the identity of a website or server, and to ensure that data transmitted between the two is secure.

How Are They Issued?

Certificates are issued by a certification authority (CA), which is a trusted third party that verifies the identity of the individual or organization requesting the certificate. Once issued, the certificate is stored on the website or server, and is used to encrypt data transmitted between the website or server and a user's device. This encryption helps to protect sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, from being intercepted by malicious actors.

Certificate Types

There are different types of certificates, including SSL/TLS certificates, which are used to secure websites, and X.509 certificates, which are used to secure various types of network communication. In order for a certificate to be considered valid, it must be signed by a trusted CA and must not have expired.