"X.509 support" refers to the ability of software to handle the X.509 certificate format. X.509 is an international standard that defines specifications for public key infrastructures (PKI) and is used for authentication, encryption, and data integrity assurance. X.509 certificates are commonly used in SSL/TLS encryption for secure communication over the internet as well as in other security protocols.
Typical features of software in the realm of "X.509 support" include:
Generation of X.509 certificates: The software enables the creation and issuance of X.509 certificates for various purposes, such as SSL/TLS encryption, digital signatures, or authentication of users and devices.
Verification of X.509 certificates: The software can verify X.509 certificates to ensure they have been issued by a trusted certification authority (CA) and are valid.
Certificate management: The software provides functions for managing X.509 certificates, including import, export, update, and revocation of certificates.
Support for certificate chains: The software supports the use of certificate chains to verify the trust chain from an end-entity certificate to the root certification authority.
Integration with security protocols: The software integrates X.509 certificates into security protocols such as SSL/TLS, IPSec, S/MIME, and others to enable authentication and encryption of data.
Certificate validity checking: The software checks the validity of X.509 certificates to ensure they are not expired or revoked before being used for secure communication.