Certification authorities

Role in the chain

A certification authority sits below a recognised jurisdictional certification partner, or in some arrangements is itself the recognised partner. It issues credentials — certifications, licences or accreditations — to the entities and individuals within its recognised scope.

How a credential is verified

When a credential issued by a certification authority is recorded in the registry, its record discloses the recognition chain connecting the certification authority back to 1Cert.org, in accordance with the Standard for Recognition Chain Disclosure. A relying party can trace the chain from the credential to the recognition authority.

Recognition is not automatic

A body that issues certifications is not, by that fact alone, a recognised certification authority under this framework. Recognition follows the process set out in the recognition framework.