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Verifiable Digital Certificate: Start Guide
With manipulation becoming more widespread, the demand for secure, easily verifiable digital certificates gets greater. Learn what makes a certificate verifiable, the technology behind it, and how security features contribute to a strong verification process. Find out how to create and verify digital certificates, including the associated costs.
AuthorOla Kozielska
Reviewer Aksen Semak
Verifier Expert
December 10, 2024
10 min read
Author
Ola Kozielska
Reviewer
Aksen Semak
Verifier Expert
December 10, 2024
10 min read
Trusted by:
If you’ve ever encountered a digital certificate that has:
certificate ID
digital signatures
QR code
You're likely dealing with a verifiable digital certificate.
Where around 80% of LinkedIn profiles and resumes are manipulated, the ability to quickly and accurately verify electronic documents is more important than ever.
What are verifiable certificates, how can you verify them, and what benefits do they offer? How can you create verifiable certificates, and what are the costs involved? Let’s find the answers in this guide.
What is a verifiable digital certificate?
A verifiable digital certificate is a document designed to securely validate skills, achievements, and certificate holders. Unlike traditional certificates (e.g., PDFs or paper versions), verifiable certificates include UUID-based verification to prevent fraud and tampering. Each digital credential is assigned a globally unique identifier, making it impossible to duplicate or forge.
For example, a university diploma recipient can share their credential with an employer, who can verify its authenticity in seconds using a unique link or QR code.
🔐 Why is digital certificate verification important? Digital certificate verification builds trust. Without it, organizations risk hiring unqualified individuals or distributing false credentials. Digital certificate PDFs are much harder to verify, thereby – easier to fake, which can result in potentially hazardous situations.
What does a digital certificate certify about an entity?
A digital certificate confirms an entity's identity online. It shows that the holder is really who they say they are, which is crucial when dealing with sensitive or secure online interactions. Certificates usually specify what qualifications, competencies, or skills the certificate holder possesses. A digital certificate provides extra verification features to prevent fraud and impersonation.
How can a digital certificate be verified online?
These layers are at the heart of digital certificate’s authenticity and security:
Blockchain technology: It maintains the integrity and authenticity of the digital certification in a database that cannot be modified.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI): Certificates include public key cryptography, which matches a private key held by the certificate owner. This pairing helps verify that the certificate is genuine and the certificate holder is the rightful owner.
UUID-based authentication: Every certificate issued has a unique identifier (serial number), or UUID, which guarantees its uniqueness. This makes every certificate virtually impossible to fake.
To put this theory into practice:
What is the fastest way for checking the validity of a digital certificate?
Here’s the most usual scenario.
01 Receiving the certificate: The recipient gets an email with a unique link to access their certificate stored in a secure, SSL-protected digital wallet like Certifier.
02 Accessing the wallet: By clicking the link, the recipient, or anyone with whom the recipient shares the link, can access the digital wallet to view the digital certificate.
03 Initiating verification: To verify the certificate, the user needs to simply click on the Verify Credential button within the digital wallet. This triggers the verification process.
04 Digital certificate verification process: The system automatically checks the details on the certificate against the blockchain records to confirm its authenticity. Simultaneously, it verifies that the public keys on the digital certificate matches the cryptographic keys held by the issuer, confirming the validity of the certificate.
🔎 Are you not sure if you’re dealing with valid digital credentials? Identify certificate and its intended recipient with this guide on how to check certificate original or fake online.
🚨 Certifier introduces additional security measures to the digital certification process. Verified Issuer Status is a mark of authenticity and transparency, awarded to issuers who undergo a detailed verification process conducted by the trusted authority of the Certifier team.
Real-life digital certificate use cases across industries
Who issues digital certificates?
Construction: Safety training is key, and with digital certificates, employers can instantly verify that workers are compliant.
Healthcare: Verifiable certificates ensure that medical professionals meet all regulatory requirements before they practice.
Travel and tourism: Travel agents and tour guides use digital certificates to show they've got the training needed to guarantee safe and enjoyable trips.
Food Service: Restaurant staff prove their food safety knowledge through digital certificates, crucial for meeting health standards.
Transportation: Digital certificates help confirm that commercial drivers hold the necessary, up-to-date licenses, making the roads safer for everyone.
Education: Educational institutions issue diplomas and different types of digital certificates complete with skill tags and earning criteria to make it easy for employers to check qualifications during the hiring process in many industries.
Benefits of verifiable digital certificates
The benefits of digital certificates are many. If you’re in charge of issuing (or receiving) digital certificates – whether for education or specific course – embracing verifiable digital certificates is a major step forward. Find out what this digital powerhouse has to offer.
Benefits of digital certificates for organizations
Efficiency: Automating the digital certificate verification saves time and simplifies processes such as user onboarding.
Enhanced security and privacy: With digital certificates, sensitive information is protected through encryption. It remains tamper-proof and secure during transmission.
Cost-effectiveness: Digital certificates reduce the costs associated with manual verification processes.
Digital certificate verification analytics: Organizations can track how often each credential is accessed or verified through detailed analytics. This insight helps understand the usage and trust levels associated with each certificate.
Data centralized: All data about digital certificates are kept in one place. Whether it's details about the issuer, comprehensive recipient profiles, or specifics about certificate issuance and expiration date, everything is accessible in one streamlined hub.
Benefits of digital certificates for certificate holders
Credibility: Each certificate features a unique UUID, offering recipients a mark of professional validation that is recognized and respected among potential employers.
Portability and 24/7 access: Digital certificates with recipient details are stored in secure digital wallets, making them easily accessible from anywhere via a smartphone or other devices.
Social media visibility: Digital certificates can be easily shared on social media profiles, increasing the recipient's professional profile and networking opportunities.
✅ Example in action: Numerous companies harness Certifier’s Open API to efficiently manage digital certificates directly from one comprehensive dashboard. This streamlined process ensures that each credential is readily accessible, makes it easier to verify user identities and the authenticity of certificates – all from a single, trusted platform.
How to create verifiable digital certificates?
Here’s how you can produce verifiable certificates with all key security measures.
💰 Is creating verifiable certificates expensive? Creating verifiable digital certificates isn't expensive. For as little as $39 per month, you can access a paid plan that includes all the essential features making digital certificates important (up to 250 verifiable certificates Certifier is free!).
Step 01: Sign up on Certifier and complete the Verified Issuer Status procedure to establish credibility
If you want to make a small effort for a big boost in trust and recognition, you can proceed with the Verified Issuer Status procedure. This initial step ensures you establish your credibility as a publicly trusted issuer.
How to verify issuer’s identity? You need to email the Certifier team either an identity certificate, a screenshot of the DNS zone of the domain validated, or a bank statement. In 1-2 business days, our team will review the submitted document.
Step 02: Customize verifiable certificate using ready-made templates
Choose from a variety of templates that best fit your needs, whether for online courses or professional recognitions.
Customize these templates to match your branding – change colors, fonts, and layout right in Certifier’s drag-and-drop editor. As a result, your digital certificates play not only a protecting but also a representing role in your organization.
Step 03: Add digital signature
An electronic document needs to contain certificate signatures. You can easily add them via the Elements tab.
Add dynamic fields like names, dates, and other sensitive details specific to each recipient. This feature is key for tailoring each certificate to the individual, making them harder to counterfeit.
It’s a comprehensive solution, especially useful for scenarios like issuing certificates to job applicants or participants in training programs, where there are multiple certificates to issue.
⏰ Do digital certificates expire? You can set expiration dates for your verifiable digital certificates. This is useful for certificates that need renewal, like professional licenses or memberships, encouraging recipients to stay updated.
Step 04: Add a QR code as an extra security measure
QR codes provide a quick and easy way for anyone to verify the authenticity and details of a certificate just by scanning it.
Here are two different options for using QR codes on verifiable digital certificates with Certifier:
Verification Page link: QR codes link to a verification page where all the certificate details like the issuer, certificate description, and earning criteria are displayed. This allows anyone to verify the certificate authority directly by scanning the QR code (one-click verification process).
Direct link: Alternatively, QR codes can link to additional resources such as more details about the certificate program or further learning opportunities (less recommended).
Within the Certifier, individual QR codes are automatically generated. Go to the QR codes tab and choose the selected option. Place the QR code. You can also change its size and color.
Step 05: Issue verifiable digital certificates with prompt delivery
Once your verifiable digital certificates are ready, issue them directly to recipients via email with a secure link. Certifier streamlines this process, making it easy to send out certificates in bulk or individually for prompt delivery.
👉🏼 For more detailed guidance on verifiable digital certificate creation, check out our in-depth article on the topic: how to create a digital certificate.
Step 06: Monitor performance with verification analytics
Use Certifier’s verification analytics to monitor how your certificates are being used. This tool helps you see how often certificates are verified and provides insights into their reach and impact.
How are certificates verified via the Issuer’s Portal?
Choose Recipients from the top menu and select the desired certificate holder. Then, click on the digital certificate to verify.
Once you click on the digital certificate preview image, it leads you to the recipient’s wallet view, from which you can verify digital certificate by clicking on the Verify Credential button. From there, you can also check the validity period.
Create & verify digital certificates with a click
Verifiable digital certificates are transforming credential management by making verification secure, fast, and accessible. With Certifier’s features like Open API integration, UUID-based verification, and centralized data management, issuers and recipients benefit from seamless processes that build trust and credibility.
Ready to streamline your credentialing process? Create your first 250 verifiable certificates for free now.
FAQs about verifiable digital certificates
Here, you'll find answers to common questions about how digital certificates work, their importance, and the specifics of issuing and verifying digital certificates through Certifier.
Ola Kozielska
Content designer. At Certifier, Ola crafts user-friendly content that makes complex information easy to grasp.
Ola Kozielska
Content designer. At Certifier, Ola crafts user-friendly content that makes complex information easy to grasp.
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