what is the difference between .cer/.spc and .pvk/pfx?  
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donkaiser





PostPosted: Visual C# General, what is the difference between .cer/.spc and .pvk/pfx? Top

Hello,

I'm trying to figure out what is the difference between this keys.

regards,


Visual C#18  
 
 
donkaiser





PostPosted: Visual C# General, what is the difference between .cer/.spc and .pvk/pfx? Top

can anybody help on this

 
 
RizwanSharp





PostPosted: Visual C# General, what is the difference between .cer/.spc and .pvk/pfx? Top

Try Google, It'll gve you results with better explaination of each.

Best Regards,

Rizwan



 
 
donkaiser





PostPosted: Visual C# General, what is the difference between .cer/.spc and .pvk/pfx? Top

I did. but return nothing. if you can find some info please let me know.

Thx

 
 
boban.s





PostPosted: Visual C# General, what is the difference between .cer/.spc and .pvk/pfx? Top

.cer - states for Certificate used for storing X.509 sertificate. This certificate contains informations about certificate owner, and also public and private certificate key.
.spc - states for Software Publisher Certificate. This is just different representation of certificate in PKCS #7 format. You can generate spc file from cer file.

.pvk - states for private key and is a private key from sertificate. you can extract the private key from certificate .cer file. Also you can create a certificate based on .pvk private key file.
also file extension used with prevous ones is .ctl and this is certificate trusted list. About pfx, i didn't know what it is, but i serached and it stands for personal exchange format. .pfx file can be created from .cer or .spc file and .pvk file. Here is the link about .pfx http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa906334.aspx

Prevous file types are conected with singing assembly (ActiveX control mostly) that you want to use on Internet Explorer and here is a starting link that can show you some more info:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp url=/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfFileSigningToolSigncodeexe.asp



 
 
donkaiser





PostPosted: Visual C# General, what is the difference between .cer/.spc and .pvk/pfx? Top

Thank you boban