ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Certificate policy

Okay kiddo, imagine you are playing a game and you want to make sure that the other players are playing fair. So, you make a rule book for the game. This rule book tells everyone what they can and cannot do while playing the game. This rule book is like a certificate policy.

In the online world, companies have to use digital certificates to make sure that their website is safe to use. Just like the rule book for a game, a certificate policy tells everyone what the digital certificate can and cannot do. It helps to make sure that no one can cheat or use the website in a dangerous way.

The certificate policy includes things like who can use the certificate, what it can be used for, and how long it is valid. Just like how you have to follow the rules of a game to play fair, companies have to follow the rules of the certificate policy to keep their website safe and secure.

So, a certificate policy is like a rule book for digital certificates. It tells everyone what they can and cannot do to make sure everyone stays safe while using the website.