public-key cryptography standards
(foldoc) | Public-Key Cryptography Standards
(PKCS) A set of standards for
public-key cryptography, developed by {RSA Data Security,
Inc.} in cooperation with an informal consortium, originally
including Apple, Microsoft, DEC, Lotus, Sun and
MIT. The PKCS have been cited by the {OSI Implementers'
Workshop} (OIW) as a method for implementation of OSI
standards.
PKCS includes both algorithm-specific and
algorithm-independent implementation standards. Many
algorithms are supported, including RSA and Diffie-Hellman
key exchange, however, only the latter two are specifically
detailed. PKCS also defines an algorithm-independent syntax
for digital signatures, digital envelopes, and extended
digital certificates; this enables someone implementing any
cryptographic algorithm whatsoever to conform to a standard
syntax, and thus achieve interoperability.
E-mail: pkcs@rsa.com.
(1999-02-16)
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