What is public key infrastructure (PKI)?

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a framework of policies, technologies, and procedures used to securely create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates and public keys. PKI enables secure electronic transfer of information for activities such as authentication, encryption, and digital signatures. It ensures that communications between parties are private and that the identities involved can be trusted. PKI is widely used in securing websites, email, and other forms of digital communication.