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Certification Path Tab

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Using the Certification path tab, you can view the path from the selected certificate to the certification authorities that issue the certificate.

Before it trusts a certificate, this version of Windows must verify that the certificate comes from a trusted source. This verification process is called path validation.

Path validation involves processing public key certificates and their issuer certificates in a hierarchical fashion until the certificate chain terminates at a trusted, self-signed certificate. Typically, this is a root CA certificate. If there is a problem with one of the certificates in the path, or if it cannot find a certificate, the certification path is considered a non-trusted certification path.

A typical certification path includes a root certificate and one or more intermediate certificates. By clicking View Certificate, you can also learn more about the certificates for each certification authority in the path.