Definitions

This table shows common security features:
Feature Definition
Private key This is a file that contains a digital key which is used to encrypt data and sign certificates. For additional security, this file can be encrypted with a password. You should keep this file in a secure area on your machine and never give it out.
Public key This is generated based on your private key. This is a digital key that others can use to decrypt data that you have encrypted with your private key.
Certificate This is a file containing a public key, plus information on who the certificate belongs to (name, address, and so on). The certificate is digitally signed using a private key, and can be signed by more than one party. Certificates are generally signed by yourself and a trusted third party, such as Verisign.
CA certificate This is a "certificate authority" certificate that contains only a single public key. This is usually generated by a trusted third party.