Cloud digital certificate: how it works and benefits
In recent years, the rise of cloud computing has revolutionized the way companies and individuals handle their online data and operations. In this context of digital transformation, the use of a digital certificate in the cloud emerges as another option to guarantee the security, authenticity, and integrity of communications and transactions carried out on the internet.
Data from Grand View Research And from Statista show that the cloud services market, led by Amazon Web Services (AWS), with Market Share of 34% and valued at US$ 483.98 billion in 2022, is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.1% from 2023 to 2030.
In Brazil, the topic of digital authentications has evolved over time and today they are fully valid and legally recognized, and are present in the most diverse areas, such as: contracts, government documents and financial operations.
But, after all, what does this feature mean?
What is a cloud digital certificate?
In its essence, the digital certificate It is a type of electronic identity that makes it possible to carry out secure transactions on the internet, such as signing documents online, sending tax information, opening companies, and others.
In turn, its cloud type allows its holder to access any device with an internet connection, making processes more agile and efficient.
According to Serasa Experian, the cloud digital certificate can be defined as a type of electronic certificate that can be stored, managed and shared completely online:
“A modern solution that brings freedom and security to your daily life. Now you will no longer need to use physical media (token or card), and you can perform all the functions that require a certificate directly on your smartphone screen. In other words: you have control of your digital certificate in the palm of your hand!”
The origin of this type of certificate
The origin of cloud digital certificates is closely linked to the advancement of cloud computing and the growing need for flexible and scalable security solutions for distributed digital environments. With the popularization of cloud computing, there was a demand for authentication and security methods that could keep up with the dynamics and complexity of these virtual environments.
In this context, cloud digital certificates emerged as a natural evolution of traditional certificates, offering a more efficient and agile way to manage digital identities in public, private, and hybrid cloud environments.
By centralizing certificate storage and management on cloud servers, this approach simplifies certificate deployment, monitoring, and updating, providing greater flexibility, scalability, and security for organizations of all sizes.
How does the digital certificate work in the cloud?
The operation of the digital certificate in the cloud is based on an infrastructure that contains a public key (PKI - Public Key Infrastructure) that uses asymmetric cryptography to guarantee the authenticity and integrity of online communications; and a private key, which is kept secret.
Instead of being stored locally on a physical device, the digital certificate is stored in a cloud computing environment. This can be done on a dedicated server or on a cloud certificate management service.
When an entity needs to authenticate with a service or securely exchange information, it presents its digital certificate, including the public key, for verification. The service or other party involved in the communication uses this public key to verify the entity's identity and ensure the integrity of the information exchanged.
What are the advantages of a cloud digital certificate?
The cloud digital certificate has a series of advantages over traditional certificates stored locally, such as the possibility of remote access, scalability, ease of management, and others.
Remote accessibility
Because cloud digital certificates are hosted on remote servers, they can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. This provides greater flexibility and convenience for users and organizations that need to securely authenticate identities or transact online.
Scalability
Cloud services are generally highly scalable, meaning that digital certificates can have an increase in their scalability to meet the growing needs of an organization. There are no concerns about local storage capacity or physical limitations of the devices.
Ease of management
Cloud digital certificate management can be simplified through intuitive management interfaces provided by cloud service providers. This includes functionalities such as status monitoring and quick issuance of new certificates, for example.
Integration with other cloud services
The use of cloud digital certificates can be seamlessly integrated with other cloud services, such as collaboration apps, data storage, and identity services. This makes it easy to implement comprehensive security and authentication solutions for complex digital environments.
How to sign with a cloud digital certificate on Clicksign?
By opting for digital certificate authentication in the shipping configuration, you allow the signer to choose to use the certificate that is installed on your machine or in the cloud.
Once the option of using the digital certificate in the cloud has been chosen, Clicksign performs a search with the social security number provided by that signer within providers served by the platform. They are:
- SAFEWEB (SafeID Certificate)
- SOLUTI (BirdID Certificate)
- VALID (VidaAS Certificate)
If found, the signer is directed to the provider's environment to perform authentication normally.
If more than one certificate registered for this number is found, the platform offers the options for the person to choose which certificate to use when signing the document.
See how simple it is? Enjoy and create your Clicksign account to test Digital Certificate authentication for free.
