PHIN MS Digital Certificate Policy

Digital Certificate Issuance

A Digital Certificate is required for security purposes when using the PHIN Messaging System (PHIN MS) to send and receive messages privately and securely. The Digital Certification verifies the identity of the Sender and provides the sender and receiver with the means to encrypt and decrypt a message respectively.

CDC Sponsored Programs

CDC Secure Data Network (SDN) certificates are issued to CDC program users for authenticating the PHIN MS Sender in an Organization to the CDC PHIN MS Receiver.

Non-CDC Sponsored Programs

Non-CDC sponsored programs should obtain digital certificates from any Certificate Authority (CA) for authenticating the PHIN MS Sender to other PHIN MS Receivers outside of the CDC. There are many CA vendors which issue Client Certificate and SSL Server Certificates. Vendors include, but not limited to Verisign, Thawte, Entrust, Equifax, Geotrust. PHIN MS does not recommend one over the other. An existing and self-signed certificate may be used.