ZyXEL Communications Internet Security Gateway ZyWALL 2 Series - Manual (Page 248)

ZyWALL 2 Series User’s Guide
15-2 Certificates
Certification authorities maintain directory servers with databases of valid and revoked certificates. A
directory of certificates that have been revoked before the scheduled expiration is called a CRL (Certificate
Revocation List). The ZyWALL can check a peer’s certificate against a directory server’s list of revoked
certificates. The framework of servers, software, procedures and policies that handles keys is called PKI
(public-key infrastructure).
15.1.1 Advantages of Certificates
Certificates offer the following benefits.
The ZyWALL only has to store the certificates of the certification authorities that you decide to
trust, no matter how many devices you need to authenticate.
Key distribution is simple and very secure since you can freely distribute public keys and you never
need to transmit private keys.
15.2 Self-signed Certificates
Until public-key infrastructure becomes more mature, it may not be available in some areas. You can have
the ZyWALL act as a certification authority and sign its own certificates.
15.3 Configuration Summary
This section summarizes how to manage certificates on the ZyWALL.
Figure 15-1 Certificate Configuration Overview
Use the My Certificate screens to generate and
export self-signed certificates or certification requests
and import the ZyWALLs’ CA-signed certificates.
Use the Trusted Remote Hosts screens
to import self-signed certificates.
Use the Directory Servers screen to
configure a list of addresses of directory
servers (that contain lists of valid and
revoked certificates).
Use the Trusted CA screens
to save CA certificates to the
ZyWALL.