PKI and Information Security Awareness: Opportunity and Obligation

The core technology of PKI, public key cryptography, was invented some 25 years ago. So why has this technology been so slow to gain acceptance? Frequently discussed challenges to successful PKI deployments include integration with internal business processes and legacy systems, automation of processes that extend beyond the firewall to business partners, and user acceptance. In this paper we explore the latter: 'In the final analysis the single most difficult criterion for a successful PKI rollout is user acceptance.' (Johnson & Manusco March 27 2001)