Networks & Defense
TLS Certificate
Also: SSL certificate, X.509 certificate, server certificate
A signed public document that binds a server's name to its public key.
In more detail
A certificate lists the names it covers, the server's public key, a validity period and the issuer, and carries the issuer's signature. A client accepts it only if the chain of signatures ends at a trusted root, the name matches, the dates are valid, and the server proves it holds the matching private key.