P12 File Documentation

Overview

Feature Value
File Extension .p12 or .pfx
Full Name Personal Information Exchange File
Format Type Binary
Primary Usage Certificate distribution and management
Encryption Supported (usually AES or 3DES)
Digital Signature Contained within
MIME Type application/x-pkcs12
Developed by RSA Laboratories
Standard PKCS #12
Key Storage Private keys, public keys, and certificates
Password Protection Supported, typically mandatory
Open Standard Yes
File Accessibility Software with certificate handling capabilities
Common Tools for Manipulation OpenSSL, Keychain Access, Windows Certificate Manager
Platform Compatibility Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Usage in SSL/TLS Import/export of certificates and keys for servers and clients
File Integrity Verification Checksums/hash values inside the structure
Associated Risks Exposure of sensitive information if not properly secured
Commonly Used For Securing web servers, email encryption, and code signing