HARICA Public Key Infrastructure
The HARICA Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a trusted third entity which certifies the identities of network users and servers affiliated with Academic and Research Institutions of the Hellenic Republic.
The HARICA PKI is a consortium between equal members that are Academic Institutions, Research Institutions and the Greek Research and Technology Network (GRNET) which is the Greek National Research and Educational Network (NREN) and began during the VNOC2 project (funded by GRNET through the Operational Program "Information Society"). This service is available for the members of the Hellenic Academic and Research Institutions.
The HARICA PKI Goals
The main goal of HARICA is the deployment of an infrastructure for secure communication between the members of the collaborating Academic and Research Institutions.
The HARICA PKI :
- Implements a Public Key Hierarchy having root authority the HARICA Root Certification Authority, which collaborates with the other parties' Certification Authorities in Greece and abroad aiming at widening the network of trust.
- Issues -on behalf of its members- digital certificates for network servers, in order to secure the data exchanged with the network users.
- Issues -on behalf of its members- digital certificates for network users, which can be used to prove the identity of the users while using network services and to secure email communication.
Policies and Procedures
The HARICA PKI issues certificates to entities according to certain procedures included in the "Certificate Practice Statement" and must also comply with the "Certification Policies" of each Certification Authority.
Independent audit report
HARICA PKI has been audited by an independent auditor and was found to be fully compliant with the requirements of ETSI TS 101 456 ("Policy requirements for certification authorities issuing qualified certificates"). You may download the annual audit report for 2012 from HARICA web site or from an independent location.
The first audit report is available for download by any interested third-party from HARICA web site or from an independent location.
Note: HARICA issues only non "qualified" (according to the Presidential Decree 150/2001) certificates for academic use.
Trust
In order to use the HARICA PKI as well as the collaborating Certification Authorities you must trust the HARICA Root Certification Authority.
Certificate Repository for HARICA PKI
All the issued certificates of the PKI service (Certification Authorities and end-users, servers certificates) can be obtained using the following link: Certificate Repository.
The certificates can also be found at an alternate secure webpage, certified by a trusted third party, according to section 6.1.4 of the HARICA Certificate Policy and Certification Practices Statement.