TLDR: Certificate Authorities (CAs) are the ultimate trust brokers online, issuing the digital certificates that make secure web browsing, e-commerce, and confidential communications possible. This article breaks down what CAs do, the nuances of public and private trust, role of browsers and global forums and how they enforce compliance, and why recent security incidents underline the critical responsibility of every CA.
We’ll explore Certificate Transparency (CT), leading CAs and CT log providers, review high-profile failures, and explain where CA technology is headed next.