More and more people are using digital certificates for their everyday transactions. These small files are incredibly useful. They contain personal and private information that allows us to identify ourselves online. This makes it possible to verify our identity and carry out all kinds of inquiries and procedures. But how can we view certificates installed on our PC? We'll explain it here.
When you install a certificate in Windows 10 (or Windows 11), it is stored in a specific and secure place within the operating system, always available to any application that may need it.
Some of the most widely used digital certificates by internet users in our country are those issued by the Tax Agency and the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) . These certificates streamline a number of procedures, both simple and complex, that would take much longer if done by phone, email, or in person.
But beyond the digital certificates that we install ourselves on our devices, there are those that install many of the applications we use. Its usefulness is to make sure that the application in question is reliable and legitimate.
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What is a digital certificate?
How to view certificates installed on your computer
Delving deeper into the concepts presented in the previous paragraphs, it can be stated that a digital certificate is a means of verifying a person's real identity on the Internet.
In the increasingly digitized world we live in, this is a very useful tool. Moreover, over time it will become a practically essential means, both to relate to the different administrations and within the business world and the business world. In recent years, the pandemic, the generalization of working from home and the development of telematic means have boosted its use on a massive scale.
A certificate of this type contains identifying data that has been previously authenticated by an official body. This authentication is essential for electronically signing documents.
How to view digital certificates
How to view certificates installed on your computer
Having the digital certificate installed on your computer isn't enough. You also need a specific program. Most people use the digital certificate through their device's browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.) to authenticate themselves and carry out online transactions on different platforms and websites.
This is a good method, although in some cases you may need to install some additional software . Here are some of the best:
- Self Signature. This application, which has been developed by the Ministry of Finance and Public Administrations, runs from the browser of our computer. With it you can complete the process of administrative signature in the procedures and pages of the Administration where it is required.
- FNMT-RCM configurator. Other handy software developed by the Coin and Stamp Factory (FNMT). More than useful, it is absolutely essential to request the keys that are needed in order to obtain an official digital certificate.
Digital certificates installed on Windows are stored securely within the Certificate Manager . This is where different applications look for them when needed. To understand how to view them, we must first distinguish between computer certificates and personal certificates.
equipment certificates
These certificates are generated by Microsoft and other developers. They are available to any user and are essential for the proper functioning of the equipment.
To access them, we'll use the certlm command, simply by typing certlm.msc in the search bar. This will open a window where we can see all the certificates of this type installed on the computer, properly classified by type and category.
Personal certificates
Unlike computer certificates, personal certificates are only available to the user, hence their name. To access them, you must run the command certmgr.msc.
As before, a window will also open. However, this one will only display personal certificates, meaning those unique to your user. They are stored in the "Personal" folder . Specifically, you will find all of these certificates within the "Personal" folder.
Some safety considerations
The foundation of digital certificates is security through authentication. However, misuse can lead to very compromising situations.
Having a certificate installed on a device means anyone who accesses it could impersonate us. For example, if we lend our computer or it gets stolen. Another threat to consider is the possibility of malware infecting our computer and stealing our information.
To avoid all these situations, it is extremely important to protect our equipment and only install digital certificates through our own users, properly protected by a password.