About Key Pairs


A Key Pair contains a private key and its associated certificate chain. Key Pairs can be used to digitally sign objects such as Java applications. Key Pair entries are represented in KeyStore Explorer by the following icon:

        

As the private key part of the Key Pair should remain secret, Key Pair entries are normally protected by a password. In KeyStore Explorer such entries are described as being Locked and have a closed padlock displayed against them:

        

To access the private key the entry must be Unlocked by supplying the correct password. If an entry is successfully unlocked then an open padlock is displayed against it:

        

If a Key Pair entry is unlocked once during a KeyStore Explorer session it does not need to be unlocked again. A Key Pair entry may be unlocked explicitly or as part of an operation that requires the private key.

A Key Pair must be unlocked to utilize it for operations such as digital signing or to view or export the private key.




Copyright 2004 - 2013 Wayne Grant, 2013 - 2017 Kai Kramer