!!! Overview 
[PKCS #12] is one of the [Public-Key Cryptography Standards] ([PKCS]) which was titled [Personal Information Exchange Syntax Standard|RFC 7292] which is described in [RFC 7292]


[{$pagename}] defines a file format commonly used to store [Private Keys] with accompanying [Public Key] [certificates], protected with a password-based [Symmetric Key]. [PFX] is a predecessor to [PKCS #12].

[{$pagename}] is a container format can contain multiple embedded objects, such as multiple [certificates]. Usually protected/encrypted with a [password]. Usable as a format for the [Java KeyStore] and to establish client [authentication] certificates in [Mozilla] [Firefox]. Usable by [Apache] [Tomcat].

[{$pagename}], also called Personal Information Exchange format ([PFX]), enables the transfer of [certificates] and their corresponding [Private Keys] from one computer to another or from a computer to removable media.

Because exporting a [Private Key] might expose it to unintended parties, the [{$pagename}] format is the recommended format for exporting a certificate and its associated private key.

It is used in [Firefox] and Microsoft Internet Explorer with their import and export options.

The filename extension for [{$pagename}] files is ".p12" or ".pfx".[3] These files can be created, parsed and read out with the [OpenSSL] pkcs12 command.

Primary purpose of [{$pagename}] is transport or backup.

[{$pagename}] [Certificate Format] Characteristics::
* Contains [Private Key] 
* encrypted with password
* [certificate] and [Certificate Chain]
* Private key must be extractable for export
* [File System] extension is usually .p12 or .pfx
* Always [Binary]

!! More Information
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