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Public key certificate-based authentication

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Public key certificate-based authentication

An effectively implemented public key infrastructure, in which security credentials can be presented without compromising them in the process, resolves many security problems. IPSec works with your public key infrastructure to enable certificate-based authentication of computers.

A public key certificate is one type of authentication that reliably provides identity verification. Public key certificates are like digital passports. They are used to verify the identities of non-Microsoft operating system computers, stand-alone computers, clients that are not members of a trusted domain, or computers that are not running the Kerberos V5 authentication protocol (the default authentication method in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 family) and Routing and Remote Access.