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With Internet Explorer

If your browser is Internet Explorer:

  1. Click Tools > Internet Options > Content.
  2. Click Certificates and then the Trusted Root Certification Authorities tab on the far right.

    This lists the root CAs known and trusted by your Web browser - that is, the CAs whose certificates have been installed in the SSL software in your Web browser. A default set of these, consisting of many of the world's best known ones, is installed when Internet Explorer is installed.

    The terminology used in Internet Explorer is slightly different from that used in this book, as follows:

    Internet Explorer This book
    Personal certificate Your client certificate
    Other people's Client or server certificate of some other entity
    Intermediate CA Subordinate CA
    Trusted root CA Root CA
  3. Double-click any one of the certificates shown. This displays the certificate on the screen. In many cases the "Issued To" and "Issued by" names are the same, indicating a self-signed certificate - one issued by a root CA to itself.
  4. Double-click one of the certificates. This displays the certificate. Notice that the "Issued To" and "Issued by" names are the same. This is what you would expect from a self-signed certificate - one issued by a root CA to itself.
  5. Click the Certification Path tab. This lists the chain of CAs from the certificate back to the root CA. Because this certificate is for a root CA, there is just one entry.
  6. Click OK to close the certificate.
  7. Click the Intermediate Certification Authorities tab. This shows a list of subordinate CAs whose certificates have been installed in your Internet Explorer.
  8. Double-click one of the certificates.
  9. Click Certification Path. You now see the chain of CAs, from the subordinate CA that issued this certificate, back up through the hierarchy to the root CA.
  10. Close the dialog boxes.
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