java.security

Interface Certificate

public interface Certificate

Deprecated: use {@link java.security.cert} instead

This interface models a digital certificate which verifies the authenticity of a party. This class simply allows certificate information to be queried, it does not guarantee that the certificate is valid.

This class is deprecated in favor of the new java.security.cert package. It exists for backward compatibility only.

Since: 1.1

UNKNOWN: updated to 1.4

Method Summary
void	decode(InputStream in) This method reads an encoded certificate from an `InputStream`.
void	encode(OutputStream out) This method writes the certificate to an `OutputStream` in a format that can be understood by the `decode` method.
String	getFormat() This method returns the encoding format of the certificate (e.g., "PGP", "X.509").
Principal	getGuarantor() This method returns the `Principal` that is guaranteeing this certificate.
Principal	getPrincipal() This method returns the `Principal` being guaranteed by this certificate.
PublicKey	getPublicKey() This method returns the public key for the `Principal` that is being guaranteed.
String	toString(boolean detail) This method returns a `String` representation of the contents of this certificate.

Method Detail

decode

public void decode(InputStream in)

This method reads an encoded certificate from an InputStream.

Parameters: in the InputStream to read from

Throws: KeyException if there is a problem with the certificate data IOException if an error occurs reading from the stream

encode

public void encode(OutputStream out)

This method writes the certificate to an OutputStream in a format that can be understood by the decode method.

Parameters: out the OutputStream to write to

Throws: KeyException if there is a problem with the certificate IOException if an error occurs writing to the stream

getFormat

public String getFormat()

This method returns the encoding format of the certificate (e.g., "PGP", "X.509"). This format is used by the encode and decode methods.

Returns: the encoding format being used

getGuarantor

public Principal getGuarantor()

This method returns the Principal that is guaranteeing this certificate.

Returns: the Principal guaranteeing the certificate

getPrincipal

public Principal getPrincipal()

This method returns the Principal being guaranteed by this certificate.

Returns: the Principal guaranteed by this certificate

getPublicKey

public PublicKey getPublicKey()

This method returns the public key for the Principal that is being guaranteed.

Returns: the PublicKey of the Principal being guaranteed

toString

public String toString(boolean detail)

This method returns a String representation of the contents of this certificate.

Parameters: detail true to provided more detailed information

Returns: the string representation