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Generic query regarding SSL Certificates, thumbprints and Verisign Web Services

  • 1.  Generic query regarding SSL Certificates, thumbprints and Verisign Web Services

    Posted Sep 04, 2013 01:20 AM

    Hello All,

    Generic question about basics of SSL Certificates.

    I am trying to use verisign web services to enroll new certificate.

    I understand that once we obtain the SSL certificate in general, I will be able to calculate thumbprint of the certificate. Is this correct ?

    OR  Will it already have thumbprint information for me to extract or should it be created by us on the certificate ?

    Please advice on this.

    Regards,
    Prasadh.S



  • 2.  RE: Generic query regarding SSL Certificates, thumbprints and Verisign Web Services

    Posted Sep 10, 2013 07:26 AM

    A thumbprint of a SSL certificate is a cryptographic hash of that certificate. The thumbprint is used to quickly determine if a presented certificate is the same as you expect it to be (for instance you know the thumbprint from a previous session). This means that you can only calculate the hash when you have the SSL certificate. Basically all applications show you the thumbprint when you look at the properties of a particular certificate by calculating it directly.